UC-NRLF 


B    M    M^fi    SE1 


Jessica  Peixoto 


A  History  of  the  Philolex- 
ian  Society  of  Columbia 
University  from  1802- 1902 

BY        ERNEST       A.        C  A  R  D  O  Z  O  .        '99 


PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SOCIETY 
NEW  YORK  a   1902 


IN  MEMORIAM 


M 


138332 


f    is 


'6Vl4ti 


go  tfte  ^eXIoto  ptemtiers 

of 

'gMloUxxtm 

&s  a  %tminq  %vxhu\z  io  Ifee  femora 

of 
QPoHege  gags 

Sftis  gistorg  is  Jtf  f  ectiouatelg  geflicatefl 


Note. — The   author   gratefully  acknowledges   the 
assistance  of  the  following  Philolexian  Alumni : 

Walter  R.  T.  Jones,  '50 
William  Allen  Johnson,  '53 
William  Farrington,  '53 
J.  Howard  Van  Amringe,  '6o 
William  Milligan  Sloane,  '68 
Henry  C.  Sturges,  '69 
William  Dudley  Foulke,  '69 

Robert  Barbour,  '71 

John  B.  Pine,  '77 

Henry  E.  Gregory,  '78 

Mornay  Williams,  '78 

Henry  G.  Paine,  '8o 

Joseph  M.  Proskauer,  '96 


press  of, 

TTClm.  C.  popper  &  Co. 

56  1Rcat>e  St.,  -R.  B. 


"4tat$nti." 

I.     FOUNDING  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  incidents  in  student  life  at 
Columbia  is  a  history  of  the  earliest  of  Columbia's  student 
organizations. 

The  founding  of  the  Philolexian  Society  is  shrouded  in 
darkness  and  obscurity.  The  most  we  now  know  of  its 
institution  is  that  it  was  founded  in  the  year  1802  and  has 
therefore  reached  at  the  time  of  writing  the  one-hundredth 
anniversary  of  its  existence.  In  age  it  is  exceeded  by  few 
societies  of  a  similar  nature  in  this  country. 

The  Dialectic  and  the  Philanthropic  Literary  Societies 
of  the  University  of  North  Carolina  founded  in  1795,  and 
the  Philologian  and  Philotechnian  of  Williams  College,  both, 
curiously  enough,  also  organized  in  1795,  antedate  it  by 
seven  years. 

That  there  was,  however,  a  literary  society  at  Columbia 
College  even  previous  to  this  date  seems  unquestionable. 
In  Holt's  New  York  Journal,  of  May  17,  1768,  there  is  an 
account  of  the  nth  Annual  Commencement  of  Columbia 
College.  In  the  mention  which  is  made  of  the  exercises  on 
that  auspicious  occasion  it  is  stated  that  Benjamin  Moore 
and  Gouverneur  Morris  of  the  graduating  class  were  awarded 
silver   medals    by    the     "Literary    Society"    for    superior 


excellence  in  oratory  and  composition.  It  is  likewise  well 
established  that  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  War,  Alexander 
Hamilton  graced  the  membership  of  the  Literary  Society 
which  was  then  in  existence,  and  delivered  before  it  some 
strong  youthful  speeches. 

In  the  old  College  at  Forty-ninth  Street  in  the  Library 
Building  there  formerly  hung  a  certificate  of  membership 
in  the  "Columbia  College  Society  for  Progress"  of  John  B. 
Johnson  of  the  Class  of  1 792 .  The  President  who  signed  the 
diploma  was  John  P.  Van  Ness  of  the  Class  of  1789.  In 
1795  this  Society  became  extinct.  From  this  time  on  for  a 
couple  of  years  the  various  classes,  it  is  believed,  had  each 
their  own  literary  associations. 

In  1 80 1  the  Junior  Class  of  the  College  which  had  formed 
one  of  these  literary  associations,  designated  it  by  the  name 
of  Philomathean.  One  year  later,  in  1802,  this  society, 
membership  in  which  had  formerly  been  limited  to  members 
of  the  Junior  Class  only,  was  thrown  open  to  all  under- 
graduates and  the  name  changed  to  the  Philolexian  Literary 
Society  of  Columbia  College. 

The  Philolexian  Society  was  therefore  founded  in  the 
spring  of  1802,  probably  on  May  17,  1802,  by  certain  mem- 
bers of  the  Senior  Class,  prominent  among  whom  are  be- 
lieved to  beN.  F.  Moore,  later  a  President  of  the  College,  and 
Hubert  Van  Wagenen.  The  Society  seems  immediately 
to  have  become  very  popular  and  its  roll  included  the  fore- 
most men  in  college. 

The  object  in  forming  Philolexian  was  presumably  the 


same  as  that  of  the  several  previous  societies  in  the  college — 
mutual  improvement  in  oratory  and  composition.  In  as 
much,  however,  as  none  of  these  societies  had  been  of  any 
long  duration,  with  the  single  exception  of  the  Columbia 
College  Society  which  lasted  about  eight  years  from  1787, 
and  as  the  same  students  had  founded  the  Philomathean 
in  the  previous  year  and  had  suffered  it  to  die  out,  it  is  not 
likely  that  they  had  any  further  design  or  expectation  in 
establishing  the  Philolexian  than  to  make  it  a  source  of 
improvement  and  pleasure  to  them  during  their  own  college 
days.*  Various  causes,  however,  combined  to  make  it 
permanent,  the  chief  of  which  occurred  in  1806. 

After  the  organization  of  Philolexian  each  succeeding 
Freshman  class  had  its  Literary  Association  in  order  to  pre- 
pare for  the  debates  in  the  larger  society.  These  Freshmen 
societies,  it  has  been  surmised,  originated  in  the  unusual 
awe  in  which  the  Freshmen  held  the  upper  class  men  and 
their  unwillingness  to  speak  before  the  members  of  the 
higher  classes  without  previous  rehearsal.  Hence  they  held 
weekly  meetings  for  that  purpose.  At  this  time  they  were, 
however,  eligible  for  membership  in  Philolexian.  Until  the 
vacation  in  the  summer  these  Freshmen  meetings  con- 
tinued. 

Finally  in  the  fall  of  1803  an  imperfect  organization 
was  created  under  the  name  of  the  Freshman  Society.  The 
members  of  the  incoming  classes  were  admitted  to  mem- 
bership in    either    this    society  or  the  Philolexian.      This 

♦Programme,  May  17,  1852. 


continued  to  be  the  situation  of  affairs  until  1806.  In  this 
year  it  was  decided  to  separate  the  two  more  distinctly  than 
ever  before.  Members  were  allowed  to  choose  in  which  they 
would  remain,  and  a  nearly  equal  division  having  been  made, 
a  new  society,  the  Peithologian,  was  fully  organized,  and 
that  friendly  rivalry  commenced  to  which  both  societies 
are  probably  indebted  for  their  unusually  long  existence. 
Great  interest  was  taken  in  these  two  societies  by  the 
under-graduates  and  also  by  the  alumni  of  the  College,  and 
that  interest  has  ever  since  been  maintained. 

From  its  foundation  to  the  present  time  there  has  been 
no  period  in  which  Philolexian  has  not  been  in  existence. 
There  have  been  times  in  which  the  society  was  in  a  very 
weak  condition  but  the  records  of  Philolexian  establish  the 
undisputed  fact  that  it  had  a  continuous  existence  during 
the  century  that  has  past. 

In  the  life  of  a  society  like  this  it  is  manifest  that  it  must 
have  had  its  ups  and  downs.  There  have  been  times  in  the 
history  of  the  society  when  the  deepest  depression  pre- 
vailed, but  in  every  instance  the  members  have  proved  them- 
selves worthy  of  Philolexians.  The  Peithologian  owed  its 
organization  to  the  influence  of  Philolexian  members,  and 
when  that  society  had  reached  its  ebb  tide  it  was  resuscitated 
by  Philolexians.  The  Barnard  Literary  Association  organ- 
ized in  1878  as  a  protest  against  the  then-prevailing  spirit 
in  Philolexian,  was  given  its  life  by  Philolexian  members. 

When  in  1893  the  Debating  Union  was  instituted  it 
was  due  to  the  suggestion  of  Philolexian  men.     In  every 


onward  step  that  has  been  taken  at  Columbia  in  literary 
and  debating  circles  it  has  been  the  ancient  and  honorable 
Society  of  Philolexian  which  has  always  been  the  leader. 

The  records  of  the  society,  which  are  surprisingly  com- 
plete, are  filled  with  interesting  matters  of  every  descrip- 
tion. They  form  a  most  important  part  of  that  fascinating 
section  of  the  Library  known  as  the  Columbiana  Collection. 
The  old  minute  books,  which  form  a  continuous  record  since 
October  10,  1823,  teem  with  much  interesting  material;  the 
account  and  receipt  books  are  unique,  dating  as  far  back  as 
1 8 1 2 .  The  volumes  of  addresses  delivered  before  the  society 
contain  striking  examples  of  oratory ;  while  one  or  two  slim 
books  of  anniversary  and  installation  speeches  by  the  Pres- 
idents of  Philolexian  are  exceptionally  entertaining.  The 
"Philolexian  Observer,"  published  by  the  members  of  the 
society  and  the  first  student  paper  of  any  kind  of  Columbia, 
contains  many  praiseworthy  essays  and  dates  as  far  back  as 
181 2.  The  records  of  the  society  in  the  Trustees'  books 
show  the  influence  the  society  once  had  and  the  far  greater 
paternalism  on  the  part  of  the  Faculty  that  formerly  ob- 
tained. The  published  constitutions  with  the  by-laws  of 
the  society  are  all-important  records  and  contain  much  that 
is  valuable;  and  the  reminiscences  of  the  members  of  the 
society  have  been  of  the  greatest  assistance  in  collecting 
anecdotes  and  incidents  that  would  otherwise  have  been 
wholly  forgotten. 

It  is  the  purpose  of  this  history  to  review  the  occurrences 
of  these  one  hundred  years  of  the  Society's  life. 


II.     MEETING  PLACES  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

The  many  removals  of  the  College  have  necessitated  a 
change  in  the  meeting  places  of  the  society.  It  is  not  within 
the  knowledge  of  the  writer  where  the  original  meeting  or 
the  meetings  of  the  society  in  its  early  years  were  held — 
probably  somewhere  in  the  old  "King's College"  buildings, 
situated  between  what  are  now  Barclay  and  Murray  Streets. 
Indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  say  exactly  where  Philolexian  was 
housed  for  many  years.  Certain  it  is,  however,  that  in  the 
year  1821  there  was  some  discussion  between  the  two  socie- 
ties and  the  Trustees  as  to  the  location  of  their  rooms.  An 
extract  from  the  minutes  of  the  Trustees  dated  July  9,  182 1, 
reads  as  follows : 

Resolved,  that  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Philolex- 
ian and  Peithologian  Societies,  a  suitable  building  be 
erected ;  and  that  the  Committee  of  Repairs  report  to  this 
Board  a  plan  and  estimate,  with  the  site  thereof. 

Resolved,  further,  that  these  societies  hold  the  rooms 
in  the  same  building  so  long  as,  in  the  judgment  of  the 
trustees,  they  shall  advance  the  literary  improvement  of 
the  students  and  the  general  interests  of  the  college,  and  on 
the  following  conditions : 

That  matriculation  in  the  College,  and  a  correct  standing 
therein,  be  necessary  qualifications  for  membership  in  the 
societies,  except  in  the  case  of  honorary  members ; 


That  the  right  of  membership  in  the  societies  shall  not 
necessarily  terminate  with  the  under-graduate  course ; 

That  the  presiding  officer  of  each  of  the  societies  shall 
be  a  graduate  member ; 

That  the  societies  be  under  the  patronage  of  the  Board 
of  the  College,  who  will,  by  their,  counsel  and  support,  aid 
these  institutions  in  the  promotion  of  all  their  measures  for 
literary  improvement  of  the  students  and  the  preservation 
of  the  order  of  the  College;  it  being  expected  from  the 
societies  that  they  will  enjoin  on  their  members  a  be- 
havior and  deportment  suitable  to  their  character  as  students 
of  the  College  and  as  members  of  the  societies.* 

Apparently  the  building  mentioned  in  the  resolution 
was  never  erected,  but  rooms  were  assigned  to  the  societies. 
These  conditions  imposed  by  the  Trustees,  especially  the 
one  with  reference  to  having  the  presiding  officer  of  the 
society  a  graduate  were  a  source  of  much  controversy. 
The  discussion  on  this  point  seems  to  have  continued 
for  many  years.  The  societies,  always  more  or  less  dis- 
pleased with  their  accommodations,  were  continually  com- 
plaining ;  while  the  Trustees,  on  their  part  were  usually,  it 
would  seem,  ready  to  listen  to  the  complaints  of  the  students ; 
for  the  records  of  the  society  and  the  Trustees'  minutes 
show  the  continuation  of  this  controversy  at  spasmodic 
intervals. 

In  the  meeting  of  March  6,  1826,  the  Trustees  adopted 
the  following  resolution : 

Resolved,  that  no  society  shall  be  accommodated  in  the 


♦Volume  III,  page  48. 


College  unless  on  the  condition  that  every  member  of  the 
society  who  shall  be  expelled  or  dismissed  from  the  College 
for  misconduct,  shall,  ipso  facto,  cease  to  be  a  member,  and 
if  any  member  of  the  society,  being  a  student  of  the  College, 
shall  be  suspended  by  the  authority  of  the  College,  during 
such  suspension  he  shall  cease  to  be  a  member  of  the  society. 
And  such  accommodations  shall  only  continue  while  their 
course  of  proceeding  in  the  above  particulars  and  otherwise 
be  approved  by  the  President. 

Resolved,  that  the  choice  of  the  two  rooms  lately  pre- 
pared for  the  accommodation  of  the  societies  be  given  to 
the  Philolexian  Society,  subject  to  the  foregoing  regulations.* 

The  rooms  were  accepted  by  the  society  on  these  con- 
ditions. 

On  the  9th  of  October,  1829,  there  was  a  joint  committee 
of  the  two  societies  appointed  to  consider  with  the  Trustees 
the  subject  of  the  advisability  of  the  admission  of  Freshmen 
into  the  society.  Freshmen  had  been  admitted  heretofore, 
but  the  Trustees  now  deemed  it  necessary  that  they  should 
no  longer  be  allowed  to  be  members.  It  had  been  the 
settled  policy  of  the  Trustees  not  to  have  Freshmen  mem- 
bers. The  societies  had  yielded  most  reluctantly  to  the 
behests  if  not  the  mandates  of  the  Board  and  on  this  occa- 
sion presented  a  petition  to  the  Trustees  asking  for  their 
admission.  The  joint  committee  reported  to  the  societies 
that  it  recommended  that  a  Committee  of  Ten  be  appointed 
to  request  the  consent  of  the  Trustees,  of  the  College  to  the 
admission  of  the   Freshmen   Class  under  the   restrictions 


♦Minutes,  March  6,  1826. 


hereinafter  to  be  made.  These  restrictions  were  five  in 
number — and  curiously  indeed  do  they  read  to  us  of  the 
present  day. 

(i)     The  candidate  must  be  fourteen  years  of  age. 

(2)  He  could  not  be  admitted  until  he  had  fully  matri- 
culated. 

(3)  He  must  be  proposed  by  at  least  three  members. 

(4)  Four-fifths  of  the  members  present  must  vote  for 
his  election. 

(5)  He  was  ineligible  to  hold  any  office  in  the  society. 
On  this  occasion  the  Trustees  in  consideration  of  the 

above  conditions  voluntarily  proposed,  yielded  to  the 
wishes  of  the  society.  By  the  records  of  the  Peithologian 
Society  of  December  5,  1836,  it  is  stated  that  the  Peitholo- 
gian Society  again  complained  about  the  condition  of  its 
room. 

The  Philolexian  Society  took  up  the  controversy  in  the 
following  year.  On  February  6,  1837,  we  find  the  following 
minute :  "  The  Philolexian  Society  through  their  committee 
respectfully  represent  to  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
Columbia  College  that  the  room  at  present  accepted  by  the 
society  is  in  a  condition  alike  inconsistent  and  discreditable. 
They  would  therefore  solicit  from  the  Board  the  same  aid 
that  has  lately  been  extended  to  their  sister  society. "  This 
appeal  was  signed  by  Russell  Trevette,  then  President  of  the 
society,  and  Messrs.  Strong,  Chittenden  and  Knox.  It 
would  seem  from  Ma  Memorial  of  the  Columbia  Peithologian 
Society  to  the  Honorable  Board  of  Trustees  (1839)"    that 


this  aid  consisted  in  changing  the  room  of  that  society,  and 
it  seems  likely  that  the  appeal  of  the  Philolexian  was  also 
successful. 

While  this  was  going  on  still  another  agitation  seems  to 
have  been  prevailing.  It  was  to  all  intents  and  purposes 
the  most  vehement  of  all  the  discussions  between  the 
students  and  the  Trustees.  This  latter  dispute  referred  to 
the  oft  raised  question  as  to  the  conditions  on  which  the 
society  held  its  rooms. 

On  November  22,  1839,  a  memorial  to  the  trustees  was 
presented,  signed  by  a  committee  of  five,  comprised  of 
John  Mason  Knox,  P.  Remsen  Strong,  Wolcott  Gibbs  and 
Robert  D.  VanVoorhis.  Two  days  thereafter  a  letter 
was  written  to  President  Duer  of  the  college  by  John  M. 
Knox  on  the  same  subject,  dated  Monday,  November  25, 
1839.  Among  other  things,  the  writer  says:  "The  articles 
which  close  the  report  will,  it  is  confidently  expected,  meet 
the  approval  of  the  Trustees,  and  the  society  respectfully 
requests  the  President's  influence  in  their  favor.  If  oppor- 
tunity should  arise  in  the  Board,  I  must  respectfully  request 
the  subject  to  be  laid  over  until  the  next  meeting  of  the 
Board,  to  allow  time  for  conference  in  the  society,  and 
the  request  will,  I  trust,  if  necessary,  be  acceded  to,  as  the 
society  has  manifested  a  decided  willingness  to  yield  partly 
to  the  conditions  which  they  do  not  believe  to  be  at  present 
in  force/ ' 

The  Trustees  replied  tersely  and  forcibly.  They  refused 
absolutely  to  accede  to  the   petition.     The  letter  of  the 


Trustees  was  written  by  no  less  a  person  than  the  President 
of  the  College,  William  A.  Duer. 

In  January  of  the  following  year,  the  two  societies, 
Peithologian  on  January  n,  1840,  and  the  Philolexian  five 
days  previous,  requested  that  the  key  to  the  societies' 
rooms  be  entrusted  to  the  Vice-President  of  the  Society. 
This  request  met  with  as  curt  a  refusal  as  the  other. 

The  student  sentiment  on  the  replies  appears  to  have  been 
so  strong  that  the  controversy  seems  to  have  waged  at  least 
for  many  years.  There  is  a  letter  in  existence  signed  by 
Charles  King,  President  of  Columbia  College,  dated  June  4, 
185 1,  addressed  to  the  two  societies  which  shows  explic- 
itly the  position  of  the  Trustees  on  the  subject  at  issue: 

"  The  conditions  on  which  the  rooms  of  the  Philolexian 
and  Peithologian  Societies  are  held  are  as  follows : 

(1)  None  but  matriculated  students  of  good  standing 
in  the  College  to  be  members,  except  in  the  case  of  honorary 
members. 

(2)  Membership  not  necessarily  to  cease  at  the  gradua- 
tion. 

(3)  The  presiding  officer  of  each  society  shall  be  a 
graduate  member. 

The  society  to  use  their  room  from  four  to  nine  p.  m.  on 
Fridays,  and  on  Saturdays  from  9  a.  m.  until  noon,  and  at 
no  other  times  unless  by  permission  of  the  President. 

Any  member  of  the  society  who  shall  be  expelled  and  dis- 
missed from  the  College  ipso  facto,  to  forfeit  his  membership 


in  like  manner;  suspended  by  the  College,   to  be -for  the 
same  time  suspended  from  the  society." 

The  conditions  would  seem  by  the  minutes  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  to  have  been  communicated  to  the  society. 
They  still  exist  in  full  force  and  are  now  communicated  for 
the  government  of  the  societies,  with  the  additional  remark 
that  the  decision  of  the  President  of  the  College  as  to  the 
use  of  the  rooms  by  the  societies  is  absolute. 

(Signed)         Charles  King, 
June  4,  1857.  President  of  Columbia  College. 

This  detailed  statement  by  the  President  of  the  College 
appears  to  have  finally  determined  this  controversy,  which 
had  lasted  for  so  many  years  between  student  and  trustee. 

On  the  one  hand,  it  is  not  at  all  surprising  that  the  stu- 
dents wished  to  relieve  themselves  from  the  restrictions 
imposed,  nor  is  it  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  Trustees  were 
just  as  firm  in  their  decision  to  maintain  the  rules  of  action 
which  they  saw  fit  to  adopt.  The  entire  dispute  reflects 
the  condition  of  affairs  which  prevailed  at  this  time  in  the 
college. 

"These  were  the  days,"  wrote  William  Allen  Johnson 
of  the  class  of  1853  in  an  entertaining  recollection,  "when 
Columbia  College  was  still  on  its  original  site  on  the  then 
narrow  Church  Street,  at  the  end  of  Park  Place,  and  the 
Grammar  School  under  Professor  Charles  Anthon  on  Murray 
Street,  close  by.  The  buildings  of  the  College  looked  well 
facing  on  the  little  green,  on  which  grew  some  of  the  most 


gigantic  button  wood  trees  I  have  ever  seen.  Near  the  cor- 
ner of  Church  and  Murray  Streets  was  a  well-known  cake 
shop — Shaddle's — much  frequented  by  lovers  of  sweets 
among  the  students. 

In  one  of  the  gloomy  basement  rooms  of  the  College  the 
accomplished  Professor  James  Renwick  discoursed  on 
chemistry  and  natural  philosophy,  but  the  boys  called  it 
'Jemmy's  Den,'  and  to  the  evil  influences  of  the  room  and 
atmosphere  the  most  virtuous  students  succumbed  as  to 
their  behavior. 

It  was  in  two  of  these  basement  rooms  that  the  Philo- 
lexian  and  Peithologian  Societies  held  their  meetings,  the 
former  on  Friday  evening  of  each  week. " 

There  is  an  instructive  commentary  to  be  gathered  from 
it  all.  The  student  with  all  his  accustomed  hatred  for 
discipline  had  fought  against  any  limitation  of  privilege  and 
had  been  defeated,  as  students  usually  are  when  their  pur- 
poses conflict  with  those  of  the  constituted  authority.  The 
Trustees  had,  however,  condescended  time  and  time  again 
to  listen  to  their  pleas,  and  doubtless,  if  all  things  were  con- 
sidered, had  exercised  their  power  probably  for  the  best  in- 
terests of  all  concerned. 

It  should  be  remembered  that  in  the  fifties  the  classes 
were  small  in  numbers,  and  in  the  words  of  another  alumnus 
of  Philolexian,  upon  "the  termination  of  our  three-hour 
lectures  the  students  immediately  scattered  to  widely  dis- 
tributed homes.  There  were  no  college  athletic  facilities 
to  keep  them  together;    and  the  faculty  was  so  opposed  to 


favoring  athletic  exercise  that  even  a  delay  on  the  college 
green  was  an  interference  with  the  regulations.  You  will 
therefore  see  there  was  very  little  social  intercourse  of  the 
students. " 

Little  wonder,  indeed,  is  it  that  the  restrictions  were 
placed  upon  these  two  societies.  Far  greater  surprise  is  it 
that  they  were  not  more  burdensome.  Yet  Philolexian  at 
this  time  was  in  a  remarkably  prosperous  state.  The  liter- 
ary societies  then  represented  practically  the  whole  of 
student  life.  They  played  a  role  of  far  greater  importance 
in  student  activity  than  at  present.  There  were  no  athletic 
or  intercollegiate  contests  to  detract  the  attention  of  the 
students;  and  this  was  the  form  of  activity  in  which  were 
centered  all  the  best  efforts  of  the  students. 

Eventually,  however,  these  restrictions  were  removed, 
although  the  exact  date  is  unknown.  It  is  to  be  presumed 
that  as  the  Trustees  came  to  realize  that  the  students  were 
really  able  and  fitted  to  conduct  their  own  affairs,  the  re- 
strictions were  no  longer  necessary.  This  change  took 
place  about  the  time  when  the  college  removed  to  its  new 
home  on  49th  Street  and  Madison  Avenue,  in  1857. 

From  this  date  on  the  society  met  in  many  different 
places.  From  1857  at  least  until  the  early  sixties,  the 
society's  abode  seems  to  have  been  on  the  top  floor  of  an  old 
ramshackle  building  formerly  used  as  a  paper  mill,  situated 
on  the  southwest  corner  of  Forty-ninth  Street.  There  were 
no  bridges  across  the  railroad  tracks  then.  Potter's  Field 
occupied  the  land  facing  the  College  on  the  east,  and  as  the 


College  was  very  far  out  of  town  it  was  very  difficult  for  the 
members  to  attend  regularly  the  exercises  of  the  society. 
Yet  with  all  these  disadvantages  Philolexian  flourished  and 
its  meetings,  as  is  said  upon  the  authority  of  a  most  worthy 
alumnus,  were  frequently  prolonged  far  into  the  night  while 
the  members  were  engaged  in  other  than  merely  intellectual 
pursuits. 

These  accommodations  do  not  appear,  however,  to  have 
been  very  satisfactory  to  the  members  and  during  the  years 
1864  to  1870  there  were  two  meeting  places  of  the  society. 
The  society  was  first  located  on  the  second  floor  of  a  build- 
ing at  No.  8  Union  Square  in  a  large  Masonic  Lodge  Room 
with  seats  around  the  sides  and  numerous  cushions  around  the 
altar  in  the  centre  for  the  brethren  to  kneel  upon.  An  organ 
was  a  great  feature  and  many  an  impromptu  concert  took 
place  and  desperate  cushion  fights  between  the  rival  factions 
occupying  opposite  sides  of  the  room.  The  meetings  were 
held  on  Friday  evenings  and  were  called  to  order  at  8  o'clock. 

On  other  occasions  the  society  met  in  the  old  Gibson 
Building  over  Wallack's  Theatre  on  the  corner  of  Thirteenth 
Street  and  Broadway,  which  has  only  recently  been  torn  down. 
It  is  related  that  this  was  a  most  extraordinary  room.  A 
winding  stairway  led  through  several  stories  to  a  large 
Masonic  Lodge  Room  under  the  roof.  Here  the  meetings 
were  held.  Various  ante-rooms  and  other  appliances  were 
taken  advantage  of  by  the  members  to  add  effect  to  the 
mock  initiations  which  were  often  made  a  prominent  feature 
of  the  society's  meetings. 


One  night,  it  is  said,  the  members  of  Philolexian  dressed 
up  all  the  statuary  on  which  they  could  lay  their  hands,  and 
which  adorned  the  stairway  in  all  sorts  of  fancy  costumes, 
and  the  effect  was  considered  most  startling.  "I  think," 
writes  H.  C.  Sturges  of  the  Class  of  1869,  "as  a  matter  of 
history  that  our  pranks  were  of  such  a  character  that  we 
were  driven  from  all  our  meeting  places.  " 

This  is  presumably  an  enthusiastic  exaggeration ;  but  if 
there  be  any  semblance  of  truth  in  it  the  Trustees  evidently 
knew  well  what  they  were  about  when  they  imposed  the 
restrictions  upon  the  society  of  which  extended  mention 
has  been  previously  made. 

The  society  between  these  years  of  1864  and  1869  had 
a  very  vigorous  life;  the  average  attendance  being  about 
fifty;  the  level  of  work  was  more  than  fair,  and  on  the 
whole  it  has  been  stated  to  have  been  rather  high. 

From  1870  to  1882  the  society  held  its  meetings  in  Mott 
Memorial  Hall,  at  64  Madison  Avenue  just  north  of  Twenty- 
seventh  Street  next  to  the  dwelling  of  the  late  Dr.  Alexander 
D.  Mott,  a  place  certainly  more  redolent  in  learning,  but  by 
no  means  as  impressive  as  the  old  Masonic  Hall.  The  room 
in  which  the  exercises  of  the  society  were  held  was  filled 
with  anatomical  apparatus  and  medical  books,  composing 
the  collections  and  library  of  Dr.  Mott. 

At  this  time,  1873  to  1877,  the  attendance  at  the  meet- 
ings usually  did  not  exceed  a  dozen,  except  at  the  annual 
prize  contests  when  the  attendance  increased  to  twenty-five. 
The  society  then  met  on  Thursday  evenings. 


Mott  Memorial  Hall  continued  to  be  the  meeting  place 
of  the  society  until  1892  when,  on  January  15th,  the 
following  resolution  was  adopted : 

"Resolved,  that  the  society  should  hold  its  meet- 
ings every  Friday  afternoon  at  3.30  in  one  of  the 
College  buildings."  This  was  unanimously  carried  and 
amidst  great  rejoicing  on  March  11,  1892,  the  first 
meeting  was  held  in  room  22  of  Hamilton  Hall.  This 
room  was  the  home  of  the  society  for  five  years,  until  the 
removal  of  the  University  to  Morningside  Heights.  From 
1897  Philolexian  has  held  its  meetings,  first  on  Friday,  then 
on  Wednesday  evenings,  in  room  422  on  the  fourth  floor  of 
Library  Building.  When,  in  the  present  year,  Earl  Hall 
was  erected,  the  society  changed  its  place  of  meeting  and 
now  holds  forth  in  one  of  the  rooms  in  this  new  home  for  the 
students.  It  ought  to  be  the  proud  hope  of  all  Philolexian 
men  that  some  time  in  the  future  the  old  Philolexian  Society 
may  have  a  home  of  its  own. 

The  college  of  yesterday  and  the  university  of  to-day 
have  always  contributed  to  the  expenses  of  the  society. 
The  authorities  have  recognized  the  worth  and  have  esti- 
mated the  true  value  of  Philolexian.  The  college  for  many 
years  paid  the  rent  of  the  rooms  of  the  society;  and  when 
in  return  for  that  generosity,  Philolexian  donated  its  library 
to  Columbia,  the  Trustees  decided  to  give  the  society  the 
right  to  expend  annually  any  sum  of  money  to  the  amount 
of  two  hundred  dollars.  It  is  to  this  liberality  of  the 
University  that  the  society  owes  its  splendid  financial  con- 
ditions throughout  all  these  years ;  and  it  is  upon  this  sup- 
port that  the  society  chiefly  depends ;  for  its  dues  are  very 
small,  and,  although  it  has  a  bank  account  of  its  own,  the 
chief  financial  aid  is  properly  received  from  its  Alma  Mater. 


III.     CRITICAL  PERIODS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

In  this  onward  march,  there  have  been  at  least  two 
periods  in  the  life  of  the  Philolexian  when  its  very  existence 
was  most  seriously  threatened.  The  first  one  was  in  the 
year  1877,  when  the  Barnard  Literary  Association  was 
formed;  and  the  second  was  in  1893,  when  the  Hamilton 
Literary  Society  was  very  prominent  in  literary  circles.  The 
latter' s  existence  lasted,  however,  but  a  very  short  time, 
finally  resulting  in  a  consolidation  with  Philolexian.  The 
simple  incontrovertible  fact  remains,  that  Philolexian 
has  never  disbanded,  contrary  to  certain  statements  to  that 
effect  which  have  appeared  from  time  to  time  in  the  college 
publications.  The  very  facts  speak  for  themselves,  and 
an  investigation  of  the  minutes  of  the  society  will  disclose 
the  facts  as  above  stated.  There  has  been  one  continuous 
life  of  the  society  from  1802  to  1902. 

The  first  of  these  critical  periods  affords  a  striking  com- 
mentary on  college  life.  During  the  years  1875  to  1877, 
the  society  was  in  rather  a  haphazard  state.  There  was  a 
considerable  degree  of  freedom  and  informality  in  the  exer- 
cises, and  the  presiding  officers  often  found  it  difficult  to 
suppress  the  disorder  and  indecorum  in  which  the  members 
were  wont  to  give  expression  to  their  vitality. 

In  these  years,  also,  class  politics  seemed  to  have  run 
quite  high ;   and  by  a  sort  of  combination  among  the  Greek 


Letter  Societies,  an  arrangement  had  been  made  by  which 
the  officers  of  Philolexian  were  chosen  alternately  from 
some  of  the  Greek  Letter  Societies,  principally  the  Delta 
Psi,  the  Psi  Epsilion  and  the  Delta  Phi.  This  plan  seems 
to  have  been  carried  out  in  accordance  with  an  unwritten 
law — that  the  presidency  should  be  held  in  turn,  as  were 
likewise  two  other  offices  of  the  society  by  the  leading 
fraternities,  and  then  by  a  non -fraternity  man  or  a  "neu- 
tral." 

This  confined  the  membership  almost  entirely  to  fra- 
ternity men;  only  enough  neutrals  being  elected  to  keep 
up  the  appearance  of  its  being  a  general  college  society. 
There  were  no  dues,  and  if  there  were  any  fines,  they  were 
never  collected.  The  men,  however,  who  were  in  the  so- 
ciety at  this  time  were  the  foremost  men  in  the  college, 
most  agreeable  companions,  who  took  very  little  interest 
in  the  society,  except  from  a  social  point  of  view.  There 
was  no  special  method  of  initiation. 

When  a  fraternity  man  was  elected,  however,  by  signing 
the  roll,  it  was  the  custom  "if  he  had  the  price  and  the  in- 
clination for  him  to  blow  off  as  many  of  the  crowd  as  he 
liked."  In  fact,  this  was  a  custom  rather  well  established 
at  this  time.  There  are  minutes  in  existence  during  this 
period  that  there  were  certain  inititations  in  which  men 
were  roughed  considerably  by  being  blindfolded  and  asked 
to  jump  off  the  table  or  being  suspended  by  a  rope  from 
the  gallery. 

It  was  the  result  of  this  state  of  affairs  that  induced  a 


number  of  Philolexian  men,  members  of  the  classes  of  1878 
and  1879  to  feel  that  a  change  needed  to  be  brought 
about. 

In  1877,  when  the  increase  in  the  number  of  fraternities 
in  the  college  and  the  fact  that  some  of  them  already  repre- 
sented took  very  little  interest  in  the  society,  the  men  in 
Philolexian  decided  that  the  time  was  ripe  for  this  change. 
A  sharp  fight  ensued  and  a  number  of  men  withdrew  from 
the  society,  and  formed  the  Barnard  Literary  Society. 
Most  of  the  members  of  the  Barnard  Society  had  been  mem- 
bers of  Philolexian,  and  some  of  them  were  very  active  par- 
ticipants. After  their  withdrawal  from  Philolexian,  they 
centered  all  their  energies  in  Barnard. 

But  this,  strange  to  say,  had  a  remarkable  effect  on 
Philolexian.  An  effort  was  immediately  made  to  take  in 
additional  members,  which  was  successful,  but  not  to  adhere 
to  the  rotation  in  office  theory,  and  in  general  to  improve 
the  personnel  and  exercises  from  a  literary  standpoint. 
The  result  was  marked.  Under  the  stimulus  of  the  reform 
movement,  which  arose  in  the  society,  Mr.  John  B.  Pine 
was  elected  president  and  the  society  was  soon  established 
on  a  firmer  basis.  There  was  a  little  difficulty  at  first  in 
convincing  candidates  of  the  honesty  and  sincerity  of  the 
intentions  of  the  Philolexian  men,  and  also  a  little  diffi- 
culty in  carrying  out  the  reform  plans  they  proffered,  but 
gradually  a  general  improvement  was  perceptible  and  the 
society  took  on  more  of  the  character  of  a  general  college 
literary  society;  and  as  the  years  rolled  on,  gained  a  stronger 


hold  on  the  new  ideals.     It  was  again  firmly  started  on  its 
upward  course. 

In  perfect  truth  it  may  be  said  that  the  Barnard  Society 
acted  as  a  stimulus  to  renewed  activity  on  the  part  of  Philo- 
lexian,  and  largely  contributed  towards  perpetuating  the 
new  order  of  things  which  began  to  obtain  in  Philolexian. 
At  the  same  time  as  Barnard  may  be  regarded  as  the  rejuve- 
nator  of  Philolexian,  so  it  is  her  offspring.  The  first  presi- 
dent, vice-president  and  secretary  of  Barnard  were  all 
former  members  of  Philolexian.  It  should  be  gratifying 
to  the  latter  to  witness  the  prosperity  and  vigor  of  the 
younger  organization.  Philolexian  congratulates  Barnard 
and  her  members,  both  past  and  present,  upon  her  success, 
and  wishes  her  the  best  of  good  fortune  on  the  celebration 
of  her  twenty-fifth  anniversary. 

By  maintaining  the  friendship  and  friendly  ri  valry  between 
the  two  societies  which  has  so  long  been  a  marked  charac- 
teristic, a  higher  standard  of  excellence  and  success  may 
be  reached  by  both. 

The  year  1877  saw  the  beginning  of  the  decline  of  the 
old  Peithologian  Society.  This  society  continued  in  exist- 
ence for  some  years  longer,  with  varying  degrees  of  for- 
tune. Included  in  its  membership  was  the  present  Presi- 
dent of  the  University,  Nicholas  Murray  Butler,  who  was 
very  active  in  trying  to  resuscitate  the  smouldering  embers. 
The  unfortunate  dissolution  of  this  old  society  which  oc- 
curred a  few  years  later,  must  always  remain  a  regrettable 
incident  in  student  literarv  circles. 


When  in  1863  the  poem  entitled  "Stella  Peithologian ' ' 
was  delivered,  there  seemed  little  likelihood  that  the  words 
then  spoken  of  Peithologian  would  be  as  true  of  Philolexian. 
Then  it  was  that  Philolexian  was  the  master  of  the  situation ; 
but  the  old  saying  still  holds  good,  and  Philolexian  looks 
upon  her  lost  sister  as  a  precious  relic  of  past  memory, 
always  to  be  fondly  cherished. 

"For  apparently  dying,  it  rose  up  once  more, 
With  splendor  renewed  brighter  far  than  before, 
Like  the  Phoenix  of  Od,  from  these  smouldering  ashes, 
A  glorious  vision  resplendently  flashes. 

And  poor  Philolexians  still  cherish  a  hope 
At  some  future  day  with  our  members  to  cope, 
And  believe  in  their  sun,  though  'tis  plainly  a  liar, 
Always  trying  to  rise  yet  ne'er  one  inch  higher. 

Philolexia's  eyes  now  tremble  with  spite 

For  her  poor  sun  is  dimmed  by  our  star's  dazzling  light. 

She  has  found  out  at  last,  though  it  shines  from  afar, 

Peithologia's  orb  was  always  a  fixed  star. 

And  a  glistening  tear  down  her  pallid  cheek  slips, 

For  her  sun  is  suffering  a  solar  eclipse. 

Philolexians,  your  pardon,  heed  not  what  I  say, 

Your  sun  is  a  very  good  thing  in  its  way, 

But  it's  well,  now  and  then,  that  a  few  wholesome  truths 

Should  be  told  to  such  sickly,  sun-stricken  youths. 

And  if  in  this  speech  aught  flattering  I've  said, 
It's  not  because  your  own  trumpeter's  dead. 
Oh,  no,  he  comes  after;    his  reason  I've  heard, 
Is  that  of  a  woman;    he  wants  the  last  word.  " 

(Written  by  Henry  Yates  Saterlee.      Philolexians  orator  spoke  last. 
The  seal  of  Philolexian  was  the  sun;    of  Peithologian,  a  star.) 


This  is  a  noteworthy  reflection  on  the  relations  of  these 
two  old,  friendly  rival  societies,  which  for  so  many  terms  were 
the  very  heart  and  soul  of  the  college  students'  life  and 
activity.  Great  pity  is  it  that  one  has  succumbed  in  the 
struggle  for  existence;  but  all  honor  to  Peithologian,  our 
sister  society.  A  fitting  tribute  to  its  life  must  be  reserved 
for  another  time  and  place. 

The  other  danger  point  in  Philolexian's  life,  to  which 
reference  has  been  made,  must  be  assigned  to  the  recent 
year  of  1893.  From  1885  Barnard  was  in  a  remarkably 
prosperous  condition;  on  the  other  hand,  a  period  of  list- 
lessness  and  inactivity  had  fallen  upon  Philolexian.  On 
March  21,  1893,  a  new  literary  organization,  the  Hamilton 
Literary  Association,  had  been  formed.  The  members  of 
this  society,  realizing  the  necessity  of  assisting  the  Philo- 
lexian Society  from  its  state  of  decadence,  resolved  to  lend 
their  influence  to  effect  that  result,  and  to  consolidate  with 
Philolexian.  The  minutes  of  Philolexian  speak  thus  on 
this  occasion: 

"This  society  (The  Hamilton  Literary  Association)  was 
started  on  March  21,  1893,  and  has  been  actively  at  work 
for  the  past  two  months.  Perceiving  that  the  Philolexian 
was  about  to  die,  it  made  an  offer  of  consolidation  for  the 
purpose  of  preserving  the  latter,  which  offer  was  accepted." 

The  unselfish  example  thus  set  by  the  members  of  the 
Hamilton  Literary  Association  is  worthy  of  the  highest 
praise.  They  realized  that  Philolexian  must  be  maintained, 
no  matter  what  the  cost;     and  the  precedent  established 


by  them  on  that  occasion  should  always  be  regarded  and 
remembered  by  future  generations,  if  the  time  should  ever 
come  when  the  oldest  Columbia  society  needs  any  aid. 

The  meeting  for  consolidation  was  held  on  Tuesday 
afternoon,  May  9,  1893,  in  Hamilton  Hall.  It  was  called 
to  order  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  members  of 
the  Hamilton  Society  were  present  at  this  meeting  and, 
after  an  address  from  the  President  of  Philolexian,  sixteen 
men  were  elected  to  Philolexian  and  initiated.  The  secre- 
tary was  then  instructed  to  read  the  minutes  of  the  last 
regular  meeting  "of  the  late  Hamilton  Literary  Society," 
which  were  accepted.  Thus  the  critical  period  was  success- 
fully tided  over. 

From  that  time  on  Philolexian's  sun  has  ever  been  in  the 
ascendant.  A  new  era  of  hope  and  success  had  set  in,  and 
the  way  was  opened  for  the  new  order  of  relations  and  of 
conditions  in  society  and  college  life,  which  was  soon  to 
obtain. 


IV.     ADDRESSES  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

The  roll  of  Philolexian  is  a  most  honored  one.  Since 
the  organization  of  the  society  to  the  present  day,  the  num- 
ber of  members  reaches  the  amazing  total  of  fifteen  hundred 
in  one  hundred  years.  The  names  of  many  distinguished 
men  were  embraced  in  this,  the  society's  roll  of  honor;  men 
who  in  every  path  of  life,  as  statesmen,  scientists,  publicists, 
lawyers  and  doctors,  have  proved  themselves  worthy  of  the 
highest  merit  in  their  various  callings;  men  who  have  by 
their  attainments  reflected  the  highest  credit  on  their  Alma 
Mater;  men  who,  as  theologians,  authors  and  professors, 
have  gained  the  world's  praise.  "  The  society's  claim  upon 
the  notice  of  others,"  reads  an  old  programme  "is  found  in 
the  great  number  of  its  representatives  among  the  prominent 
men  of  our  city  and  State.  From  every  station  and  pro- 
fession, men  look  back  to  the  Philolexian  Society  as  to  one 
common  point  in  their  early  lives — and  there  is  surely  some 
interest  due  to  it  when  it  is  interwoven  with  the  recollec- 
tions of  such  names  as  are  to  be  found  upon  its  rolls,  and  so 
closely  identified  with  its  history." 

In  the  history  of  this  society  many  interesting  cere- 
monies have  occurred.  In  more  ways  than  one  was  the 
influence  of  Philolexian  felt,  not  only  as  a  factor  for  good  in 
the  College,  but  even  in  the  life  of  this  large  city. 

It  was  the  custom  of  Philolexian  to  invite  prominent 


men  to  speak  before  the  society.  These  occurrences  were 
made  occasions  of  the  highest  importance,  both  socially  and 
intellectually,  to  the  college  world  and  to  the  world  at  large. 
Such  customs  as  these  should  again  be  revived  by  the  present 
generation  and  made  as  interesting  events  as  they  were  in 
days  gone  by. 

Fortunately  some  of  these  addresses  are  preserved  to  us. 
There  are  two  small  volumes,  if  we  can  give  them  that 
name,  for  they  are  in  reality  nothing  more  than  student 
copy  books  which  contain  the  inaugural  addresses  of  four 
of  the  earlier  Presidents  of  the  society.  Beautifully  written 
on  discolored  paper,  in  the  distinct  handwriting  of  Smith 
Pyne,  then  the  Secretary  of  the  society,  afterward  its  Presi- 
dent, these  relics  of  the  remote  past  contain  much  that  is 
valuable  to  the  society's  history.  The  entire  series  of  ad- 
dresses are  marked  by  high  thought,  careful  advice  and 
nobleness  of  spirit,  honored  treasures  of  the  society. 

The  first  inaugural  address  which  is  recorded  is  that  by 
"H.  N.  Cruger,  Esq.,  of  the  Class  of  1819  before  the  Philo- 
lexian  Society  delivered  the  5th  of  January,  1821,  on  his 
assuming  the  office  of  President. "  The  address  is  by  no 
means  free  from  advice  which  is  as  applicable  to  the  present 
as  it  was  to  the  past ;  the  care  taken  in  preparation  is  easily 
noticeable  and  the  style,  as  well  as  the  form,  is  admirable. 
The  newly-elected  President  speaks  first  of  his  appreciation 
of  the  high  honor  conferred  upon  him,  and  after  remarking 
that  to  the  friends  of  Alma  Mater  no  word  of  praise  about 
the  society  is  necessary,  to  others  is  may  be  well  to  add  that 


"I  am  convinced  that  no  one  has  subscribed  to  the  consti- 
tution without  a  full  and  mature  examination  of  the  benefits 
to  be  derived  from  an  association  organized  in  the  cause  of 
literature  and  for  the  sake  of  mental  improvement.  The 
society  requires  of  its  members  to  undergo  neither  hardship 
nor  privations,  nor  to  make  any  great  sacrifices  of  their 
time  or  convenience.  It  appoints  duties  which  are  at  once 
easy  in  their  preparation  and  agreeable  in  their  execution. 
.  .  .  The  inducement  and  reward  which  it  holds  out  for 
exertion  is  more  than  sufficient  to  instigate  and  compensate 
your  most  strenuous  endeavors.  ...  Its  appeal  is 
made  to  self  love,  the  strongest  bias  and  most  universal 
principle  of  human  nature  .  .  .  the  signal  advantages 
resulting  from  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  reading,  com- 
posing, speaking  and  debating  are  too  obvious  to  need  a 
commentary.  .  .  .  But  in  going  through  this  duty 
(extempore  speaking)  each  member  should  be  on  his  guard 
against  that  spurious  and  tinsel  species  of  oratory  which  is 
but  too  apt  to  obtain."  Referring  to  the  last  anniversary 
celebration,  he  writes:  "The  stand  which  you  took  on  that 
occasion  in  the  eyes  of  the  public  entails  upon  you  the 
obligation  of  perseverance  in  your  efforts. "  His  conclusion, 
which  speaks  for  itself,  consists  of  a  sublime  eulogy:  "The 
genius  of  the  present  is  hovering  over  us  shedding  from  its 
wings  the  kindly  and  cheering  influence  of  a  vivid  and  un- 
clouded retrospection,  and  breathing  forth  an  exhilerating 
voice  of  harmony  that  sounds  to  the  ear  of  hope  as  the 
prelude  to  a  glad   and   prosperous  hereafter.     Under  its 


auspices  with  a  steady  step  and  devoted  mind  be  it  our 
best  wish  to  insure  the  welfare  of  the  society  of  our  adoption 
and  make  the  name  of  Philolexian  an  honor  and  a  boast 
not  only  within  the  precincts  of  our  Alma  Mater  but  through- 
out the  community  of  which  we  are  denizens.  " 

He  was  succeeded  by  William  Betts,  who  delivered  his 
inaugural  on  March  i,  1822.  Differing  in  tone  from  his 
predecessor,  he  speaks  of  the  internal  affairs  of  the  society 
and  offers  some  words  as  to  the  conduct  of  discussion  in  the 
meetings  of  the  society.  "  Let  me  exhort  you  to  beware  of 
discoursing  without  the  walls  of  this  society  questions 
which  may  arise  within.  It  is  a  habit  with  some  of  the 
members  when  called  upon  to  speak  their  sentiments  on 
whatever  question  may  be  before  the  society  to  apologize 
for  the  bad  speech  which  they  are  about  to  utter,  by  saying 
that  they  have  come  unprepared  but  will  however  make 
such  remarks  as  the  spur  of  the  occasion  may  suggest."  Well 
worthy  of  the  critic,  he  then  remarks,  *'  it  may  appear  harsh 
to  say  that  this  is  adding  arrogance  to  ignorance  .  .  . 
above  all,  gentlemen,  be  cool  and  temperate  in  your  dis- 
cussion. Delicacy  and  forbearance  should  rule.  .  .  . 
Permit  me  to  add  to  my  congratulations  on  your  present 
prosperity  the  hope  that  your  indefatigable  exertions  will 
long  continue  to  support  and  deserve  both.  " 

There  is  no  further  inaugural  of  which  any  record  has 
been  kept  until  Friday  evening,  February  18,  1830,  when 
B.  Slosson  gave  the  address.  It  is  an  amusing  speech, 
for  it  refers  to  habits  that  obtain  not  infrequently  to-day. 


The  orator  says  we  are  deficient  in  lateness;  our  meetings 
which  are  scheduled  to  begin  at  seven  do  not  commence 
until  eight  o'clock.  "  We  are  derelict  in  the  performance  of 
our  duties  and  I  regret  to  say  it,  in  gentlemanly  deportment, 
flatly  contradicting  what  is  uttered.  "  He  complains  of  the 
habit  of  making  altogether  too  many  motions — and  then, 
after  referring  to  the  existing  jealousy  which  prevailed 
owing  to  the  prominence  of  the  honorary  members,  recalls 
the  fact  that  they  love  the  society  just  as  sincerely  as  the 
under-graduate  body.  There  is  a  ring  of  truth  in  the  address 
which  speaks  more  than  once  for  the  present  as  it  did  to  the 
audience  before  whom  it  was  delivered. 

The  last  inaugural  that  is  recorded  is  from  the  mouth  of 
R.  I.  Dillon,  who  succeeded  Slosson  as  President  of  the 
society.  The  address  was  delivered  on  March  19,  1830, 
Slosson  having  resigned.  In  a  brief  address,  after  a  eulogy 
upon  the  society,  he  states  that  since  the  credit  of  the  society 
is  that  of  its  members,  it  is  the  duty  of  the  latter  ever  to 
work  for  its  best  interests. 

Unfortunately,  this  custom  of  having  an  inaugural 
either  was  stopped,  or  the  speeches  were  no  longer  taken 
down. 

One  other  feature  of  the  early  years  of  the  society  was 
the  addresses  made  by  prominent  men  before,  usually, 
both  the  Philolexian  and  Peithologian  Societies.  The  first 
address  of  this  character  was  that  by  Gulian  C.  Verplanck, 
one  of  the  Regents  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  on  the  evening  preceding  the  Annual  Commencement, 


August  2,  1830.  The  orator  of  the  occasion  presented  a 
finished  oration.  He  opens  in  the  following  beautiful 
words : 

M  It  seems  to  me  that  in  addressing  the  literary  societies 
formed  under  the  protection  of  our  ancient  College  amongst 
her  students  and  graduates  for  their  mutual  improvement 
in  the  best  interest  of  good  learning ;  meeting  them  too,  upon 
the  eve  of  that  literary  anniversary  when  our  Alma  Mater  is 
again  to  send  forth  a  fresh  body  of  her  sons  from  the  dis- 
cipline of  education  to  the  cares  and  struggles  of  active  life, 
no  theme  could  be  more  appropriate  than  the  praise  of  some 
of  those  illustrious  dead  whose  memory  our  country  cher- 
ishes in  grateful  affection  and  whom  our  college  proudly 
numbers  among  her  eldest  and  favorite  sons." 

Those  whose  praises  are  mentioned  in  the  masterly 
oration  include  Robert  Livingston,  Gouverneur  Morris, 
Dr.*  Cooper,  Benson,  Van  Cortlandt,  Rutgers  and  Troup, 
all  honored  sons  of  Columbia.  Possibly,  the  orator's  great- 
est eulogism  is  reserved  for  Alexander  Hamilton.  Of  John 
Jay,  whom  he  refers  to  as  one  who  lived  to  be 

' '  Sent  forth  of  the  Omnipotent  to  run 
The  great  career  of  Justice," 

he  spoke  in  measured  words  of  truth.  To  De  Witt  Clinton, 
the  first  graduate  of  Columbia  after  the  peace  of  1783 ;  the 
Rt.  Rev.  Benjamin  Moore,  President  of  Columbia  College, 
and  Dr.  John  Bowden,  Professor  in  Moral  Philosophy  and 
Logic  in  Columbia  College,  the  speaker  pays  his  tribute. 


It  is  an  address  full  of  those  reminiscences  that  bring  pride 
to  Columbia  men  when  they  realize  how  much  the  nation 
and  the  State  owe  to  Columbia's  sons. 

The  societies  requested  the  publication  of  this  memorial 
address  in  the  following  letter  to  Mr.  Verplanck : 

August  3,  1830. 
Hon.  G.  C.  Verplanck. 
Sir: 

We  have  been  appointed  a  committee  on  the  part  of  the 
Philolexian  and  Peithologian  Societies  to  communicate  to 
you  the  following  resolutions  passed  at  a  joint  meeting  of 
the  societies  held  August  2,  1830,  at  which  Hugh  Maxwell, 
Esq.,  presided  and  William  Hughes,  Esq.,  acted  as  secretary. 
Resolved,  that  the  thanks  of  the  Philolexian  and  Peitho- 
logian Societies  be  presented  to  the  Hon.  Gulian  C.  Ver- 
planck for  the  eloquent  and  classical  address  which  he  has 
this  evening  delivered  before  them. 

Resolved,  that  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  inform 
Mr.  Verplanck  of  the  foregoing  resolution,  and  request  of 
him  a  copy  of  his  address  for  publication. 
We  are,  Sir,  with  great  respect, 

Your  obedient  servants, 
Benjamin  Drake,  ^ 

J.  H.  Hobert  Hawes,     y  Committee. 
William  H.  Milnor,       J 

The  idea  of  having  these  addresses  given  yearly  seems 
to  have  been   well   established,   but   the   record   of  these 


speeches  is  by  no  means  complete.  Only  about  ten  of 
them  remain  in  pamphlet  form.  In  the  following  year, 
on  May  15,  1831,  the  anniversary  address  was  given  by 
John  W.  Francis,  M.D.,  who  spoke  on  Chancellor  Robert  R. 
Livingston..  In  the  same  year,  about  two  and  one-half 
months  later,  Edward  P.  Livingston,  Lieutenant-Governor 
and  a  Regent  of  the  University  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
addressed  the  societies  on  the  broad  subject  of  Oratory. 
"It  will  be  my  object,"  he  said,  "briefly  to  notice  some  of 
the  rules  which  have  been  laid  down  as  guides  for  the 
acquirement  of  the  art  of  oratory."  Oratory  is  the  most 
useful  of  the  arts  to  "  instruct,  to  please  and  to  effect,"  is 
the  claim  of  the  speaker. 

"Soft  elocution  does  thy  style  renown, 
And  the  sweet  accents  of  the  peaceful  gown 
Gentle  or  sharp,  according  to  thy  choice, 
To  laugh  at  follies  or  to  lash  at  vice." 

Education,  he  asserts,  is  more  essential  to  the  orator; 
study  and  reflection  are  its  handmates;  but  for  perfection, 
the  gifts  of  genius  are  a  necessity.  The  oration  is  carefully 
thought  out,  expressed  in  clean,  concise  and  at  times  pic- 
turesque language,  as  worthy  of  the  orator  as  they  are 
suited  to  the  occasion. 

The  society  celebrated  Washington's  Birthday,  Febru- 
ary 22,  1838,  by  an  oration  delivered  by  Rev.  Edward  G. 
Higbee,  who  paid  a  most  fitting  and  eloquent  tribute  to  the 
memory  of  Washington  and  Hamilton.  A  deep  philosoph- 
ical discourse  was  given  in  which  the  respective  subjects 


of  Patriotism,  Philosophy  and  Religion  are  thoughtfully 
treated  as  the  fundamental  pursuits  upon  which  success  in 
life  depends. 

On  May  17,  1840,  the  anniversary  of  the  society, 
Benjamin  I.  Haight,  then  rector  of  All  Saints'  Church  was 
the  speaker  of  the  day.  The  oration  is  affectionately  dedi- 
cated to  Robert  William  Harris  by  his  friend  and  brother, 
the  author.  The  address  is  couched  in  beautiful  language ; 
and  as  the  orator  draws  to  his  climax,  the  effect  is  intensely 
dramatic.  In  touching  words  he  recalls  the  memories  of 
his  college  life. 

"The  scenes  of  college  life  are  reproduced  with  no  ordi- 
nary vividness  upon  memory's  tablet  .  .  .  Again  do  I 
warmly  greet  my  companions  and  friends  .  .  .  Again 
as  I  enter  our  meeting  room  as  the  studies  and  labors  of  the 
week  are  over  and  prepare  to  take  part  in  the  inspiriting 
and  improving  exercises. 

Yes  !  these  were  happy  days,  never  to  be  forgotten. " 

The  next  oration,  which  is  extant,  is  one  written  by 
William  Alexander  Duer,  on  July  24,  1848,  the  subject 
being  "The  Duties  and  Responsibilities  of  the  Rising  Gen- 
eration." In  a  spirited  address  the  speaker  refers  to  the 
approaching  war  and  urges  upon  all  the  great  necessities 
for  and  advantages  of  public  service,  although  he  fully  ap- 
preciates the  great  benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  "noble 
private  life. "  His  peroration  is  a  stirring  bit  of  writing. 
"  You  will  resist  with  firmness  the  temptations  of  prosperity 
and  bear  with  fortitude  the  pressure  or  adversity,  sustained 


by  superhuman  strength  and  cheered  by  the  consciousness 
of  having  done  your  duty  to  yourselves,  your  families,  your 
country  and  your  God. " 

This  is  the  last  address  of  which  there  is  any  record. 

In  the  same  year,  however,  a  poem  was  written  and 
read  by  Thomas  P.  St.  John  on  the  forty-sixth  anniversary 
of  the  society.     The  inscription  reads : 

"To  William  H.  Terry 

My  brother  Philolexian 

and  friend 

The  following  poem  is  inscribed 

As  a  slight  testimonial  of  sincere  Friendship  and  Regard." 

The  author's  subject  is  that  of  Taste.  He  thus  com- 
mences : 

4 '  There  comes  no  Muse  to  aid  me  in  my  taste 
"Though  simple  rhyme  is  all  the  boon  I  ask — 
Behold  the  reign  of  Taste — 

And  the  poet  then  speaks  of  the  fads  of  the  day,  the  Rossini 
play,  the  opera,  a  hat  from  Leary's,  "in  broided  vestry  and 
De  Meyers's  pants,  and  tells  how  the  students  loiter  in 
4  Classical  Broadway. '     .     .     . 

But  soft — I  wake — burst  is  the  magic  spell — 

The  dream  departs — 'Enchantress,  fare  thee  well.'" 

Two  other  poems  were  read  before  the  society,  the  one 
by  Erastus  B.  Rudd,  on  February  20,  1861,  the  subject 
chosen  being  "Surgam"  the  motto  of  the  society;   and  the 


other  by  Samuel  Walden  Cooke  entitled  "  Arise, "  on  Decem- 
ber 19,  1862. 

The  former  is  written  in  a  humorous  vein.  The  poet 
lamenting  the  fate  of  the  poor  student  refers  to  the  burden- 
some college  duties.  Especially  is  this  true  he  believes  of 
the  freshman  who  is  forced  to  seek  relief  somewhere. 

"Cold  comfort  this,  poor  Fresh,  what  shall  he  do, 
To  aid  his  fainting  soul  in  dragging  through 
These  studies  that  so  torture  him  and  vex  ? 
His  guardian  angel  points  to  Philolex." 

In  glowing  praise  "  Her  Sun,  the  pride  of  all  Columbia's 
sons"  is  appealed  to  for  assistance.  The  Philolexian  poet, 
fop,  beaux  and  Romeo  are  all  carefully  and  humorously 
treated  and  then  seriously  the  poet  adds 

"  Brothers,  arise,  your  work  is  but  begun, 
Our  emblem  is  an  ever-rising  sun." 

It  is  pleasant  to  recall  the  following  amusing  account  of 
Peithologian : 

"And  jealous  Peiths  will  whisper  in  your  ear — 
Peiths,  did  I  say? — I've  made  a  blunder  here. 
It's  far  from  my  intention  to  make  fun  of  them, 
You  can't  say  Peiths  unless  there's  more  than  one  of  them. 

And  there  is  not — there  can't  be  much  variety 

In  such  a  very  generous  society, 

Where  officers,  committee  men,  majority 

And  absentees,  quorum  and  minority 

All  center  in  one  man  who  sits  in  state 

And  gravely  listens  to  his  own  debate." 

It  was  in  this  pleasing  spirit  of  jocularity  that  the  speakers 
or  poets  of  both  societies  always  made  fun  of  the  other. 


The  other  poem  which  has  been  referred  to  was  written 
in  a  more  serious  tone. 

"In  Philolexian's  name  I  come  to-day 
To  offer  at  her  shrine  my  humble  lay, 
To  speak  a  word  of  greeting  to  her  friends 
Fair  Influence  their  beauty  lends." 

And  after  a  loving  tribute  to  the  Class  of  '65  and  Philo- 
lexian's sons  who  fought  and  died  in  the  Civil  War,  with 
fond  recollections  of  college  joys,  college  frolics,  and  college 
boys,  the  poet  concludes : 

"Arise — our  noble  motto,  rich  with  precious  bustle 
Speaks  to  the  old,  the  middle-aged,  the  youth — 
Then,  brothers,  may  we  gladly  burst  the  sod 
To  find  our  rest,  our  happiness  in  God, 
While  through  the  vaulted  arches  of  the  skies 
The  Angel's  trumpet  thunders  forth  'Arise  !'  " 

The  activity  of  the  society  throughout  these  years  is 
memorable.  The  poets  and  orators  were  all  Philolexians, 
who  looked  upon  these  occasions  as  happy  recollections  of 
by-gone  pleasures,  and  were  only  too  glad  to  be  present  and 
assist  and  join  once  more  in  the  festivities.  It  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  such  customs  as  these  have  not  continued,  but 
it  should  be  a  cause  for  congratulation  not  only  to  feel  that 
they  once  afforded  so  much  genuine  pleasure,  but  that  they 
may  possibly  be  once  again  revived. 


V.     ANNIVERSARIES  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

Closely  identified  with  these  auspicious  occasions  were 
the  anniversaries  of  the  society  which  were  always  celebrated 
with  appropriate  ceremonies  of  one  kind  or  another.  Some- 
times, as  we  have  seen,  one  address  was  given  by  a  renowned 
orator.  More  often,  the  members  of  the  society  were  the 
participants  in  the  celebration.  The  records  of  these  anni- 
versaries are  not  as  complete  as  one  would  desire.  There 
is  a  programme  in  existence  of  the  forty-ninth  anniversary 
of  the  society,  which  was  held  at  Tripler  Hall,  on  Monday 
evening,  May  19,  185 1.  The  presidential  address  was  de- 
livered by  P.  W.  Ostrander;  while  the  other  orations,  of 
which  there  were  five  in  number,  were  as  follows : 

The  Great  Republic,  E.  M.  Rodman. 

The  Age  of  Peace,  G.  C.  Pennell. 

Change  vs.  Progress,  J.  W.  Harper. 

Destiny,  J.  R.  Smedberg. 

The  Search  after  Truth,  its  Danger,  G.  R.  Hinton. 

Among  the  musical  pieces  played  on  that  evening,  the 
Columbia  Grand  March,  written  by  G.  R.  Bristow  must  be 
mentioned.  This  piece  of  music  seems  to  have  been  very 
popular,  and  was  always  played  at  Columbia's  celebrations 
of  this  period. 

The  semi-centennial  celebration  of  the  society  was 
held  on  Monday  evening,  May  17,  1852,  at  Metropolitan 
Hall.     There  does  not  seem  to  have  been  anything  more 


than  the  usual  effort  made  on  this  occasion.  That  it  was  an 
unqualified  success  there  is  little  doubt.  The  entertain- 
ment was  opened  by  five  selections  of  music,  including  the 
Columbia  Grand  March,  followed  by  seven  set  orations  on 
such  true  Columbia  and  Philolexian  subjects  as  "In  tuo 
Lumine  Videbemus  Lumen,'"  by  Joseph  W.  Harper,  and 
"  Surgam"  by  James  R.  Smedberg;  William  E.  Arundel 
delivered  the  President's  address,  while  the  anniversary 
oration  was  by  Theodore  Sedgwick.  On  this  occasion,  a 
package  was  sealed  and  deposited  in  the  archives  of  the 
Columbia  Library,  not  to  be  opened  until  the  one  hundredth 
anniversary. 

The  invitations  for  the  fifty-first  anniversary  are  rather 
curious — printed  on  a  small  note  sheet  of  white  paper,  in 
size  three  by  five  inches,  with  a  little  flower  impressed  on  a 
raised  surface  on  the  right  hand  corner.     It  read  as  follows : 

Columbia  College,  May  3,  1853. 
The   Philolexian   Society  will  celebrate  the   Fifty-first 
Anniversary  on  Tuesday  evening  the  17th  instant,  at  Metro- 
politan Hall ;  the  Exercises  to  commence  at  half -past  seven 
o'clock. 

The  pleasure  of  your  attendance  is  respectfully  requested. 
George  C.  Pennell,  A.B., 

President. 

Thomas  McCarty,  1 

Edward  W.  Laight,  !    Committee  of 

Daniel  Embury,  Jr.,  [Arrangements. 

Abraham  F.  Jackson,  J 


The  meeting  may  best  be  described  by  an  article  which 
appeared  in  the  New  York  Express,  May  18,  1853,  and 
shows  how  prominent  events  these  anniversaries  were  in 
the  city's  busy  life. 

REPORTS  OF  CITY  MEETINGS. 

Fifty-first  Anniversary  of  the  Philolexian  Society 

of  Columbia  College. 

(Reported  for  the  New  York  Express.) 

"Metropolitan  Hall,  in  the  hey-day  of  the  Lind  and  the 
Sontag  and  Alboni  concerts  never  presented  a  more  brilliant 
appearance  than  it  did  last  evening  on  the  occasion  of  the 
celebration  of  the  oldest  literary  society  connected  with 
Columbia  College.  The  parquet  and  the  dress  circle  were 
full  of  ladies,  attended  by  their  friends  of  the  other  sex,  and 
the  scene  was  one  of  rare  attractiveness  and  animation. 
Dod worth's  band  was  in  attendance,  and  their  performances, 
at  the  commencement  of  every  exercise,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  performances,  formed  a  delightful  relief  to  the  more 
grave  proceedings  of  the  evening.  They  played  several  differ- 
ent morseaux  before  the  literary  exercises  commenced,  and 
among  them  was  the  '  Philolexian  March,'  composed  for  the 
occasion  and  dedicated  to  the  society  by  Mr.  Harvey  Dod- 
worth — and  a  very  pretty  composition  it  was.  This  little 
preliminary  concert  terminated  with  Schubert's  beautiful 
'  Serenade,'  most  feelingly  performed.  The  stringed  band 
played  the  '  Sounds  from  Home'  in  the  course  of  the  even- 
ing, with  much  touching  sweetness.     In  fact,  this  was  one 


of  the  most  pleasing  features  of  the  occasion.  Fourteen 
pieces, bringing  in  all  the  various  combinations  of  this  accom- 
plished company,  were  given  during  the  evening  and  with 
distinguished  applause. 

On  the  platform  we  noticed  Dr.  King,  President  of 
Columbia  College,  on  the  right  and  left  of  whom  were  Mr. 
George  C.  Pennell,  the  newly-elected  President  of  the  society, 
and  the  poet  of  this  anniversary,  Mr.  Thomas  McCarty,  also 
Profs.  Anthon,  Turner,  Rev.  Messrs.  Morris  (Principal  of 
Trinity  School)  and  Leonard,  Garrett  D.  Van  Wagenen,  W. 
V.  Brady,  Esqs.,  and  others.  Just  before  the  first  exercise 
was  commenced,  Gen.  Scott  being  discovered  among  the 
audience,  was  waited  upon  by  the  President  of  the  society  to 
the  platform  amidst  the  enthusiastic  applause  of  the  auditory. 

Including  the  presidential  address  of  Mr.  Pennell  (which 
was  very  happy)  and  Mr.  McCarty's  poem  (the  subject  of 
which — 'Memory' — was  very  well  treated)  there  were 
seven  literary  performances,  all  of  which  were  of  a  very  high 
order  of  composition  and  were  admirably  delivered.  We 
were  happy  to  notice  a  manifest  improvement  in  this  last 
particular  since  we  had  occasion  before  to  speak  of  the 
Columbia  College  exhibitions.  Where  all  were  so  truly 
creditable,  it  would  be  invidious  to  distinguish  and  we  shall 
therefore  content  ourselves  with  saying  that  the  speakers, 
other  than  those  we  have  named,  were  John  A.  Kernochan 
C  Sic  transit  gloria  mundV),  Marvin  R.  Vincent  ('The 
Teacher's  Calling'),  Herbert  B.  Turner  ('The  Influence  of 
Association' — including    a  beautiful  eulogium  on  woman), 


William  G.  Farrington  ('Civilization  and  Christianity  In- 
separable'), and  Elias  G.  Drake,  Jr.  ('Simplicity  of  True 
Manhood'  including  a  very  eloquent  tribute  to  the  charac- 
ter of  Washington). 

All  the  addresses  were  received  with  great  and  marked 
favor,  and  among  the  modes  of  testifying  approbation,  the 
profuse  bestowment  of  bouquets,  wreaths  and  coronets,  of 
superb  flowers,  by  the  ladies,  on  their  favorites,  was  cer- 
tainly the  most  graceful  and  appropriate. 

Just  at  the  close,  a  voice  from  the  crowded  audience 
exclaimed  '  Three  cheers  for  the  Hero  of  Cherubusco '  and 
they  were  given  '  with  a  will. '  Gen.  Scott  bowed  grace- 
fully in  acknowledgment  and  left  the  platform  amidst  the 
warmest  applause." 

These  anniversaries  were  probably  still  maintained  by 
appropriate  functions  but  there  is  no  further  mention  made 
of  them.  From  the  fiftieth  celebration  to  the  one-hundredth 
anniversary  is  a  very  long  interval  but  it  can  be  stated  that 
all  the  old  time  fervor,  vigor,  enthusiasm  and  interest  both  of 
alumni  and  students  still  prevail  in  the  society ;  and  the  cen- 
tennial celebration  will  doubtless  be  as  successful,  if  not 
more  so,  than  those  in  the  past. 

In  recent  years  it  has  been  the  well  established  custom 
of  the  society  to  hold  an  annual  banquet  sometime  in  the 
spring.  Once  a  theatre  party  was  successfully  given.  The 
same  spirit  still  obtains  among  its  members;  and  these 
functions  are  always  the  scene  of  much  festivity  and  pro- 
ductive of  genuine  enjoyment. 


VI.     SEMI-ANNUAL  EXHIBITIONS  AND  THE  PRIZE 

FUND. 

The  next  item  of  interest  is  seen  in  a  petition  presented 
to  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  College  by  the  Philolexian 
Society  in  the  year  1855,  requesting  permission  to  elect  one 
of  its  members  to  deliver  an  oration  on  its  behalf  at  each 
recurring  semi-annual  exhibition  of  the  college.  To  this 
petition  the  Trustees  returned  a  favorable  answer,  making 
this  restriction  only,  that  the  orator  chosen  should  be  a 
member  of  the  Senior  or  Junior  Class.  This  semi-annual 
exhibition  immediately  caught  the  popular  fancy.  The 
students  showed  the  greatest  interest  in  it;  and,  as  it  was 
considered  a  very  high  honor  to  be  the  orator  on  this  occa- 
sion, there  was  considerable  rivalry  and  spirit  shown  in  the 
competitions.  At  the  first  of  these  exhibitions  which  took 
place  in  1855,  the  orator  was  John  Francis  Walton.  Among 
his  successors  as  semi-annual  orators  were,  in  1867,  George 
L.  Rives,  the  present  Corporation  Counsel  of  New  York; 
in  1878,  William  Milligan  Sloane,  the  present  Seth  Low 
Professor  of  History,  and  William  Barclay  Parsons,  Jr.,  in 
1879.  These  exhibitions  were  continued  certainly  as  late 
as  1882.  In  the  Columbiad  of  1879,  an  annual  publication 
of  the  Junior  Class,  appears  this  amusing  account  of  the 
previous  year's  celebration : 

"The   semi-annual,   thanks  to  the  energy  of   '79   and 


backed  by  the  financial  aid  of  '80  and  '82,  proved  a  great 
success.  There  was  the  usual  amount  of  attention  paid  to 
the  speeches  and  an  unusual  amount  of  flirting  in  the 
lobbies.  The  house  was  uncomfortably  crowded  and  the 
sign  'Standing  Room  Only'  was  placed  outside  of  the 
Academy  early  in  the  evening. " 

The  interest  in  the  exercises  was  undoubtedly  very 
great,  not  only  among  those  in  the  college  but  among  out- 
siders as  well.  The  anniversaries  were  considered  events 
of  the  greatest  social  importance.  The  old  Academy  was 
crowded  to  the  doors  on  these  festive  occasions.  The 
students  in  their  caps  and  gowns,  the  marshals  with  gay  rib- 
bons and  batons,  all  wearing  the  gold  society  badges,  the 
brilliant  company  and  fine  music,  all  must  have  formed  a 
striking  picture.  Not  infrequently,  there  was  added  to  the 
exercises  a  so-called  "Mock  Programme."  This  was  quite 
a  feature,  and  the  greatest  rivalry  existed  as  to  which  of  the 
persons  would  get  the  most  bouquets,  and  the  same  flowers 
were  sometimes  thrown  on  the  stage  several  times  during 
the  evening  to  keep  up  the  delusion. 

The  remarkable  prosperity  of  the  society  is  easily 
realized  if  we  recall  that  it  was  at  this  time  that  the  Prize 
Fund  of  the  society  was  also  raised.  If  at  no  other  times 
during  the  year  the  attendance  at  the  meetings  of  the 
society  was  large  as  the  time  for  the  anniversaries,  the 
semi-annuals  or  the  Prize  Fund  competitions  drew  near 
there  was  always  sure  to  be  large  numbers  of  members 
present.     This  fact  is  still  true  and  noticeable  to-day. 


The  Prize  Fund  owes  its  creation  to  the  Class  of  1853. 
As  a  sequel  to  the  semi-centennial,  a  scheme  was  drawn  up 
by  some  of  the  older  members  to  establish  a  prize  fund  of 
$1,500.  In  April,  1852,  as  the  records  of  the  society  reads, 
it  was  resolved  "that  a  plan  for  the  establishment  of  the 
society  on  a  firmer  foundation  and  for  deriving  from  the 
newly-awakened  interest  of  its  former  members,  some  last- 
ing and  permanent  good,"  be  adopted.  The  suggestion 
was  immediately  taken  up  and  carried  through  with  vim 
and  spirit.  The  actual  work  of  raising  the  desired  amount 
fell  to  the  class  of  1853.  The  men  to  whose  individual 
efforts  this  sum  of  money  was  raised,  were  William  Allen 
Johnson,  '53,  Abraham  S.  Jackson,  who  died  last  year,  and 
Daniel  Embury.  Messrs.  Hale  and  Smith  also  performed 
valuable  service  in  collecting  the  sum.  The  highest  praise 
should  be  bestowed  upon  those  men  who  by  their  earnest, 
self-sacrificing  endeavors  gave  to  Philolexian  a  fund  to 
establish  prizes  which  has  been  not  only  the  means  of  great- 
est enjoyment  among  the  members,  but  has  served  so 
signally  as  a  factor  in  perpetuating  and  making  stronger 
the  society.  The  endowment  actually  raised  was  $1,200. 
The  sum  thus  accumulated  was  placed  at  seven  per  cent, 
interest;  and  it  is  the  same  rate  of  interest  which  the 
University  in  its  generosity  still  pays  to  the  society  to-day. 

As  the  minutes  of  the  "Scheme  of  the  Philolexian 
Honorary  Prize  Fund"  states,  it  was  "founded  in  the 
Philolexian  Society  of  Columbia  College  by  the  Honorary 
Members  of  the  society,  and  for  which  an  endowment  of 


$1,500  was  raised,  the  same  having  been  adopted  at  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Honorary  Members  held  in  the  College  Chapel  on 
the  Friday  preceding  the  semi-centennial  anniversary  of 
the  society,  on  the  14th  day  of  May,  in  the  year  one  thou- 
sand, eight  hundred  and  fifty- two." 

There  are  three  series  of  prizes  awarded  annually  by  the 
society,  competition  for  which  is  opened  only  to  the  under- 
graduate members  of  the  society.  The  Prize  Debate  for 
which  three  prizes  are  offered  takes  place  at  the  second 
regular  meeting  in  April  of  each  year.  The  competition  for 
the  two  prizes  which  are  awarded  for  the  best  orations 
delivered  takes  place  on  the  first  meeting  in  April.  There 
are  also  two  prizes  awarded  for  the  best  original  essays. 
The  fund  is  entrusted  to  the  care  of  three  persons,  to  be 
selected  by  the  society  from  graduate  members,  the  chair- 
man of  the  committee  having  been  for  many  years  the 
beloved  Dean  of  the  college,  J.  Howard  Van  Amringe,  '60. 

The  complete  list  of  prize-winners  since  1855  is  recorded 
in  the  archives  of  Philolexian;  and  it  is  only  in  justice  to 
Philoiexian  to  say  that  the  names  of  the  winners  present  a 
list  of  men  who  have  gained  the  greatest  successes  in  life. 
From  1855  to  the  time  of  writing,  the  competition  has  been 
continued.  Such  competitions  as  these  should  be  held  in 
as  public  a  manner  as  is  possible,  and  such  occasions 
should  be  made  fitting  reunions  of  Philolexian* s  honored 
older  graduates. 


VII.     THE  INTERNAL  CUSTOMS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

The  character  of  the  exercises  which  the  society  con- 
ducts has,  since  its  institution,  changed  but  little.  The 
meetings  have  always  been  held  weekly  throughout  the 
college  term.  Philolexian's  object  has  always  been  to  "im- 
prove its  members  in  oratory,  composition  and  forensic 
discussion."  This  is  the  end  which  the  society  throughout 
all  the  years  that  have  past,  has  kept  steadily  in  view  and 
the  goal  towards  which  its  members  have  always  labored 
to  reach.  The  programme  has  consisted  ordinarily  of  an 
oration,  two  or  more  extempore  speeches,  an  essay  and  a 
debate  in  which  sometimes  all  the  members  present  join. 
Not  infrequently  some  other  form  of  exercises  are  presented. 
Some  of  the  occasional  changes  presented  have  been  of  an 
interesting  character.  The  society  has  resolved  itself  into 
the  United  States  Senate  or  the  State  Legislature  and 
debated  the  most  important  topics,  political  and  otherwise, 
of  the  day.  On  other  occasions,  special  orations  have  been 
delivered.  On  still  other  occasions  in  these  later  days,  the 
society  has  been  the  vantage  ground  where  subjects  for 
inter-society  and  inter-college  debates  have  been  carefully 
threshed  out. 

It  was  the  custom  of  the  society,  which  was  followed 
until  within  the  last  twelve  years,  to  divide  the  society  into 
"Classes  for  Literary  Duties."     The  number  in  each  class 


varied  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  members  in  the 
society ;  but  there  have  been  as  many  as  eighteen  members 
in  each  of  the  four  classes.  A  different  class  was  assigned 
for  the  literary  duties  every  four  weeks. 

In  these  recent  years  this  scheme  has  been  abolished, 
and  the  assignments  are  entrusted  to  the  care  of  an  appoint- 
ment committee  which  appoints  the  members  to  the  various 
duties  as  it  chooses. 

In  former  years  it  is  evident  that  fiercely  contested 
parliamentary  questions  have  been  debated.  In  one  of 
the  old  constitutions  there  are  printed  a  list  of  the  M  De- 
cisions of  the  Standing  Committee  upon  appeals  from  the 
Decisions  of  the  President. "  The  subject  of  some  of  these 
decisions  are  rather  quaint  and  curious.  As  far  back  as 
October,  1832,  it  is  evident  that  M  a  gentleman  who  has  left 
Columbia  College  and  become  a  student  in  another  institu- 
tion can  continue  a  member  of  the  society."  Possibly 
with  a  faint  idea  of  the  future  modern  athletic  eligibility 
controversy  it  is  stated  in  January,  1833,  "that  a  student 
attending  the  lectures  of  but  one  professor  is  eligible  to 
membership. "  It  is  evident  that  at  this  time  parliament- 
ary discussion  was  a  most  important  feature  of  the  exercise 
of  the  society. 

There  were  other  interesting  special  ceremonies  of  which 
mention  must  be  made.  The  constitution  of  1820,  the 
earliest  constitution  of  the  society  which  is  extant,  contains 
the  following  provision:  "The  member  who  in  the  opinion 
of  the  Board  of  Officers  shall  display  most  eloquence  at  a 


time  annually  set  apart  by  the  President  for  that  purpose, 
shall  be  presented  with  a  book  or  set  of  books  by  the  Presi- 
dent in  the  name  of  the  society.  The  said  book  or  books  to 
be  purchased  at  the  expense  of  the  society." 

At  a  late  date  premiums  were  awarded  for  excellence  in 
elocution.  The  premium  was  a  medal  of  the  value  of  five 
dollars.  A  like  premium  was  given  to  the  writer  of  the  best 
original  essay.  It  was  expressly  provided  that  the  winner 
of  one  premium  was  ineligible  to  try  a  second  time. 

Still  later  in  the  society's  history  there  is  recorded  in  the 
minutes  of  December  4,  1884,  a  generous  gift  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars  from  two  alumni,  Henry  N.  Mills,  '80,  and 
Robert  M.  Bull,  '80.  "They  give  to  the  society"  so  the 
President  announced,  "the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  annually  for  five  years  to  be  expended  in  prizes  for 
the  first  and  second  best  orations  respectively. "  The 
competition  was  open  to  all  active  members  of  the  society 
and  the  donors  imposed  only  the  following  restrictions  on 
their  gift.  First,  that  there  must  be  at  least  thirty  mem- 
bers in  the  society;  and  secondly,  that  there  must  be  at 
least  three  competitors.  In  this  connection  it  might  be 
proper  to  add  that,  when  a  member  of  the  society,  Mr.  Mills 
was  one  of  its  foremost  speakers.  He  delivered  an  oration 
regularly.  In  fact,  it  would  seem  that  it  was  always  the 
same  oration,  "Spartacus. "  The  Secretary  once  records: 
"  Mr.  Mills  then  delivered  '  Spartacus '  in  his  best  style.  " 

Another  interesting  custom  which  was  observed  was  the 
delivery  of  a  salutatory  and  a  valedictory  address.     At  the 


first  meeting  in  every  year  the  salutatory  was  given  by  a 
member,  elected  the  last  meeting  of  the  previous  year.  The 
valedictory  was  delivered  by  a  member  of  the  graduating 
Senior  Class  on  the  anniversary  of  the  society,  which  was 
always  celebrated  near  the  17th  day  of  May.  The  date  of 
the  anniversary  of  the  society  is  thus  declared:  "The  anni- 
versary of  the  society  shall  be  celebrated  regularly  on  the 
17th  day  of  May  (except  that  day  fall  on  Sunday  or  the 
weather  proves  unfavorable,  in  which  case  it  shall  be  cele- 
brated on  the  day  following)  in  such  manner  as  the  society 
may  order. " 

The  motto  of  the  society  has  always  been  the  appropriate 
Latin  word  "  Surgam."  This  has  often  been  the  theme 
of  the  society's  poets  and  orators  on  important  occasions. 

The  seal  of  Philolexian  is  likewise  an  important  factor  in 
the  society's  history.  A  four-sided  square  with  indenta- 
tions at  the  four  corners  surrounds  a  circle  of  half  an  inch 
in  circumference,  in  which  the  rays  of  the  shining  sun  are 
impressed.  Towards  the  bottom  of  the  design  is  the  motto 
"  Surgarn"  with  the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  society 
underneath.  The  badges  of  the  society  were  made  of  gold, 
the  general  effect  of  which  was  strikingly  beautiful. 

The  initiation  of  the  members  into  the  society  has  been 
referred  to  briefly  in  another  connection.  There  was  a  regu- 
lar form  of  initiation  by  which  the  society  initiated  its  mem- 
bers. In  1847  when  the  time  of  meeting  was  on  Friday 
evenings,  as  early  as  seven  o'clock,  the  initiate  was  forced 
to  pay  $2.50  and  "he  may  also  provide  himself  with  the 


gold  badge  and  rosette  of  the  society."     The  constitution 
of  the  society  provided  that: 

"The  President  shall  address  him  as  follows:  'As  being 
received  a  member  of  this  society,  do  you  solemnly  promise 
faithfully  to  observe  all  its  laws  and  regulations,  to  per- 
form the  various  duties  required  of  you  to  the  best  of  your 
abilities,  and  to  exert  your  utmost  endeavors  to  promote 
its  interests ?'" 

To  which  the  member  elect  shall  reply  "  I  do."  A  copy 
of  the  constitution  shall  then  be  delivered  to  him  by  the 
secretary,  and  the  following  pledge : 

44  We,  the  undersigned,  students  of  Columbia  College,  do, 
by  our  signatures,  hereunder  annexed,  voluntarily  become 
members  of  the  Philolexian  Society,  and  as  such,  do  pledge 
ourselves  to  adhere  to  its  interest,  be  faithful  to  its  duties, 
obedient  to  its  laws,  and  active  in  promoting  its  interest 
as  much  as  in  us  lies." 

.  Having  been  signed  by  him,  the  President  shall  address 
him  as  follows : 

"You  are  now  regularly  admitted  a  member  of  the 
Philolexian  and  invested  with  all  its  privileges."  He  may 
also  add  such  other  remarks  on  the  duties  pertaining  to 
membership  and  the  manner  of  performing  the  same  as  to 
him  shall  seem  proper. 

The  Constitution  of  1842  declared  that  the  Constitution 
should  be  read  to  the  initiate  and  when  signed  by  him,  he 
was  to  be  presented  with  the  gold  badge  of  the  society. 

Some  of  these  ceremonial  forms  have  been  dispensed 


with  to-day,  but  the  same  general  adherence  to  the  old 
procedure  is  still  happily  preserved. 

The  importance  of  honorary  membership  has  been  no- 
ticed elsewhere  in  these  pages.  There  was  a  special  cere- 
mony in  connection  with  these  members  and  a  distinct 
parchment  certificate  of  honorary  membership  in  the  society 
was  presented  to  the  member  elect.  Upon  his  election,  an 
honorary  member  was  expected  to  deliver  an  address  before 
the  society.  This  request  was  always  complied  with.  The 
form  of  these  old  certificates,  printed  in  Latin,  have  been 
transmitted  to  us,  and  are  still  used  by  the  society  in  electing 
its  members  to  honorary  membership  therein.  These 
certificates  read  as  follows : 

Surgam 
SOCIETAS  PHILOLECTICA  COLLEGII  COLUMBIANI. 

Neo  Eborenses  A.  D.  1802  Instituta  omnes  ad  quos  hae 
litterce  proesentes  venerint  certiores  facit. 

(the  name  was  written  here) 
adolescentem  vestuta  ac    humanitate  insignem    socium  nobis 
jampridem  acritum  esse,  et  sese  tarn  studiis  Uberalibus  deditum 
quam  moribus  in  geniis  ornatum  ostendisse ;  qua  ob  merita  ad 
socii  honorii  gradum  nunc  admitti. 

In  quonum  testimonium,  Nos  Presses  Prcesidisque  vicarius, 
sociorum  nomine  chirographa  nostras,  sigillumque  societatis 
hisce  Uteris  affigenda  curavimus. 

Proeses. 
V.  P reuses. 


The  annals  of  the  society  are  full  of  many  mementos  of 
the  past.  On  one  occasion,  the  society  ungenerously  re- 
fused, although  probably  for  some  substantial  reason,  to 
allow  "the  New  York  law  students  the  use  of  its  rooms." 
On  another  occasion,  however,  there  was  a  joint  meeting  on 
June  i,  1832,  between  the  Philolexian,  the  Peithologian  and 
the  Literary  and  Philosophical  Society  of  New  York,  of 
which  Committee  of  Arrangements  Hamilton  Fish  of  the 
Class  of  1 83 1  was  Chairman. 

At  the  anniversary  exhibition  of  May  25,  1830,  some 
unfortunate  incident  must  have  occurred,  for  a  resolution 
and  note  is  recorded  "denying  the  suffered  insult  to  Prof. 
Ren  wick"  by  Barzilli  Slosson.  The  society  adopted  the 
following  resolution  in  this  connection : 

"That  this  society  heartily  concurs  in  the  frank  dis- 
avowal by  Mr.  Slosson  of  any  the  remotest  view  in  injuring 
the  feelings  or  insulting  the  character  of  Professor  Renwick 
for  whom  they  entertain  the  highest  respect  as  a  gentleman 
and  whom  they  admire  for  his  talents  and  extensive  acquire- 
ments." 

Copies  of  this  resolution  were  ordered  to  be  sent  to  the 
Trustees,  to  the  Professors  and  members  of  the  Faculty.  In 
his  personal  letter  to  the  Professor,  Mr.  Slosson  says  that  he 
regrets  "that  a  remark  wholly  general  in  its  nature  should 
be  applied  by  you  in  a  particular  sense  was  what  was  not 
expected. "  The  letter  closes  with  a  complete  disavowal 
and  the  highest  praise  of  the  Professor.  Presumably  the 
whole  trouble  was  the  result  of  some  foolish  student  prank. 


The  next  incident  of  this  nature  occurred  in  1849. 
The  fracas  on  this  occasion  must  have  been  of  a  very  serious 
nature;  for  a  two-page  letter  of  the  then  President  of  the 
University,  Nathaniel  F.  Moore,  who,  strange  to  say,  was  a 
former  member  and  President  of  Philolexian,  is  to  be  found 
inserted  in  one  of  the  old  books  of  the  society.  The  presi- 
dent complains  bitterly  of  the  "disgraceful  scene  on  the 
college  green  V ;  and  warns  the  society  that  the  entire  matter 
has  been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Trustees.  The  threat  is 
even  made  that  the  society  will  be  forbidden  to  hold  meet- 
ings upon  the  repetition  of  any  similar  conduct. 

Another  record  of  this  sort  is  recorded  at  a  special  meet- 
ing held  in  Dr.  Drisler's  Lecture  Room  at  1  p.  m.  on  March 
17,  1870,  when  it  was  resolved  that  the  chair  appoint  a  com- 
mittee to  write  to  Dr.  Alexander  B.  Mott,  apologizing  for 
the  defacing  of  the  busts  in  the  Mott  Memorial  Library. 
On  that  committee  were  Stuyvesant  Fish,  Brander  Matthews 
and  Robert  Arnold.  The  apology  which  was  offered  was 
accepted. 

Still  another  occurrence  of  this  character  is  found  in  the 
minutes  of  the  society.  "  It  was  thereupon  moved,  seconded 
and  carried  that  a  vote  of  censure  be  passed  on  certain  mem- 
bers for  creating  disturbances  in  the  meeting  on  November 
4,  1885." 

In  one  of  the  oldest  minute  books  of  the  society  the 
Secretary  has  entered  the  following  curious  minute:  "No 
meeting,  Alas  !  Alas  !"  At  this  time,  in  1834,  it  is  evident 
that  the  meetings  were  held  with  the  greatest  regularity. 


An  entertaining  anecdote  is  supplied  by  a  member  of 
the  Class  of  1871  which  he  says  was  handed  down  from  an 
earlier  period.  A  member  of  the  society  had  been 
expelled.  One  day  in  passing  the  rooms  where  the 
Philolexians  were  in  session  he  slipped  and  fell.  Some  of 
the  members  of  the  society  uncharitably  jeered  at  him. 
With  great  hauteur  he  rose,  and,  at  the  top  of  his  voice, 
answered  the  jeers  of  the  members  by  the  single  word 
"  resurgam. " 

Another  humorous  incident  which  occurred  at  an  earlier 
date  than  the  above  is  related  by  William  Allen 
Johnson,  '53.  In  those  days,  lamps  gave  the  society  its 
light  and  in  these  lamps  a  very  dangerous  and  explosive 
article  was  used,  known  as  burning  fluid.  One  of  the  mem- 
bers, Charles  De  Gray  Mount,  was  accustomed  to  bring 
forward  at  each  meeting  a  resolution  to  put  in  their  places 
oil  lamps  or  candles.  At  length  this  became  so  monotonous 
that  the  resolution  was  always  ruled  out  of  order.  One 
evening,  a  short  time  before  the  semi-centennial  anniversary, 
Mr.  Mount  rose  and  said  in  a  most  serious  voice  that  he 
feared  our  celebration  could  not  be  held.  "At  once  all  was 
silence  and  attention.  Mr.  Mount  continued,  without  the 
slightest  suspicion  of  a  smile  on  his  face,  in  a  long  and  ob- 
scure preamble  and  then  suddenly  said  if  the  lamps  should 
explode  and  annihilate  the  society,  the  anniversary  could 
not  be  kept.  I  therefore  move  that  the  lamps  for  burning 
fluid  be  removed  and  oil  lamps  or  candles  substituted  in 
their  stead. " 


Some  of  the  old  rules  found  in  the  constitution  and  by- 
laws of  the  society,  are  rather  suggestive.  Upon  refusing 
to  leave  the  room  after  adjourning  or  for  divulging  anything 
that  happened  in  the  meeting  a  fine  of  one  hundred  cents 
was  imposed,  or  for  a  second  offense,  expulsion  ensued.  For 
being  late  there  was  a  fine  of  six  and  one-quarter  cents,  while 
for  absenting  oneself  from  the  meeting  twenty-five  cents 
was  forfeited.  If  one  neglected  any  duty  that  was  assigned, 
twenty-five  cents  must  be  paid  to  the  treasury  as  a  penalty 
for  the  offense.  For  offering  an  insult  to  officers  or  for  ad- 
dressing the  President  when  the  floor  was  occupied,  the 
fines  were  respectively  fifty  and  twenty-five  cents.  If  any 
member  committed  plagiarism,  one  dollar  was  the  penalty, 
and  a  like  amount  was  forfeited  if  one  refused  an  election 
to  any  office ;  or  leaving  the  room  without  permission.  In 
the  constitution  of  1834  there  was  also  a  fine  of  twenty-five 
cents  for  disorderly  behavior,  or  for  disorder  twelve  and  one- 
half  cents;  but  the  distinction  between  these  two  offenses 
is  not  clearly  designated. 

One  of  the  old  rules  of  the  society  declared  that  "No 
member  of  the  Junior  or  Senior  Class  (unless  appointed  to 
open  the  debate)  shall  be  permitted  to  read  off  a  written 
discussion. " 

The  method  of  procedure  upon  expulsion  was  also  pro- 
vided for.  The  accused  was  heard  in  his  own  defense. 
There  was  a  board  elected  by  the  society  before  which  mem- 
bers who  had  been  suspended  were  cited.  If  such  a  member 
pleaded  guilty  to  the  accusation,  then  the  board  immediately 


reported  the  matter  to  the  society  with  its  recommenda- 
tions. If,  on  the  other  hand,  the  plea  of  not  guilty  was 
entered,  then  a  formal  prosecution  was  commenced.  The 
prosecutor  appointed  by  the  society  opened,  after  which  the 
accused  was  allowed  to  speak  in  his  own  behalf.  The  prose- 
cutor replied  and  the  defendant  was  then  allowed  the  oppor- 
tunity of  a  second  hearing.  The  guilt  or  innocence  of  the 
offender  was  then  determined  by  the  society  at  large  by 
ballot.  The  necessity  for  this  procedure  seems  to  have 
lasted  as  late  as  1852.  There  are  recorded  descriptions  of 
the  trial  of  at  least  one  member  of  the  society  who  was 
brought  before  this  inquisitorial  board.  The  whole  pro- 
cedure was  characterized  by  the  strictest  formality  and 
throws  a  most  amusing  light  on  the  nature  of  the  proceed- 
ings which  were  carried  on  in  such  a  serious  manner. 

At  a  later  period  there  was  in  existence  an  officer  des- 
ignated as  the  sergeant-at-arms  or  censor.  Not  infrequently 
there  were  two  such  officers  elected.  They  were  invested 
with  great  powers  and  their  mandates  were  laws.  It  is 
even  suggested  that  it  was  more  honor  to  receive  the  election 
of  a  sergeant-at-arms — certainly  it  was  more  fun— than  to 
be  chosen  President  of  the  society. 

Many  were  the  fines  imposed  in  those  days ;  in  fact,  they 
often  amounted  to  rather  large  sums.  In  the  old  receipt  books 
of  the  society  there  are  many  charges  against  the  individual 
members,  sometimes  they  were  paid — not  infrequently  they 
were  not — more  often  the  delinquents  were  excused. 

Closely  identified  at  one  time  with  the  sergeant-at-arms 


was  the  critic.  At  one  time  these  two  officers  went  hand  in 
hand.  The  critic  would  offer  his  suggestion  and  if  any  mem- 
ber took  umbrage  at  the  critic's  remarks,  the  sergeant-at- 
arms  would  step  in  and  end  the  controversy.  But  the 
offices  finally  were  made  more  distinct.  The  office  of 
sergeant-at-arms  has  long  since  been  abolished.  The  office 
of  critic  is  still  retained  however,  and  the  duties  connected 
therewith.  It  is  incumbent  upon  this  officer  to  criticize  in 
a  proper  and  dignified  manner,  the  speakers,  their  efforts 
and  the  general  tone  of  the  meeting.  One  of  the  older  men 
in  the  society  usually  receives  the  appointment  in  order  that 
he  may  offer  to  the  society  the  wisdom  of  experience. 

Of  the  many  services  which  the  society  has  rendered  to 
the  members  and  the  university,  the  library  which  at  one 
time  the  society  owned  must  not  be  overlooked  or  forgotten. 
It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  discover  any  precise  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  the  library  of  the  society.  Certain  it  is, 
however,  that  at  one  time,  there  was  in  the  possession  of 
the  Philolexian  a  library  of  about  1,500  to  2,000  books. 
There  is  but  one  catalogue,  and  that  a  very  early  one,  of  the 
library  which  is  extant.  In  this  catalogue  there  are  about 
1,000  books  mentioned,  but  it  is  known  that  this  number 
was  largely  increased  in  later  years.  The  books  were  on  all 
sorts  of  subjects.  History,  biography,  novels,  tales  and 
romances,  philosophy,  religion — all  were  represented,  while 
a  separate  heading  was  set  apart  for  magazines  and 
miscellaneous  books.  The  library  continued  for  many 
years,  as  late  as  1852,  in  the  rooms  of  the  society,  and  was 


then  turned  over  and  entrusted  to  the  university  authori- 
ties. The  books  of  the  Philolexian  library  thus  given  to 
the  university  have  not  since  been  maintained  as  a  distinct 
library  but  have  been  indiscriminately  distributed  in  the 
various  subjects  and  fields  to  which  they  belong.  Now  and 
then,  when  a  book  is  called  for,  one  is  agreeably  surprised 
when  he  opens  it  to  find  the  old  Philolexian  name-plate  still 
on  its  covers. 

Every  member  of  the  society  was  originally  "required 
to  contribute  towards  the  library  $1.25  or  $4.00  in  books 
according  to  the  prices  in  store. "  The  rules  for  running 
the  library  were  very  stringent.  There  was  a  registrar,  a 
librarian  and  an  assistant  librarian  elected  by  the  society, 
and  the  records  of  these  officers  were  carefully  kept.  If  a 
book  was  not  registered  the  offending  member  was  fined 
fifty  cents.  A  member  was  allowed  to  take  from  the  library 
one  quarto,  two  octavos  or  three  smaller  volumes.  A 
quarto  might  be  kept  out  three  weeks,  an  octavo  two,  and  a 
duodesimo  but  one.  For  each  week  in  excess  of  the  time 
that  was  allowed,  a  fine  of  twelve  and  one-half  cents  was 
imposed.  The  library  was  certainly  a  source  of  enjoyment 
to  the  members  of  the  society ;  and  it  is  gratifying  to  think 
that  the  society  had  even  the  smallest  share  in  adding  to  the 
now  magnificiently  equipped  library  of  the  University  at 
Morningside. 


VIII.     PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 

One  of  the  most  curious  and  certainly  one  of  the  most 
interesting  customs  that  ever  existed  in  the  society  was  the 
publication  of  two  old  periodicals,  The  Philolexian  and  The 
Philolexian  Observer.  Through  the  generosity  of  Bishop  G. 
T.  Bedell,  who  probably  received  the  papers  from  his  father, 
the  manuscript  was  presented  to  the  Philolexian  Society 
by  J.  Muhlenberg  Bailey  on  January  14,  1884,  and  is  now 
on  the  shelves  of  the  Columbia  Library,  under  the  desig- 
nation of  "  Columbiana."  The  entire  collection  is  contained 
in  one  volume,  and  consists  of  one  number  of  The  Philo- 
lexian and  twelve  other  manuscript  papers  of  The  Philolexian 
Observer* 

The  probable  author  of  these  papers,  none  of  which 
were  signed,  was  Gregory  T.  Bedell,  one  of  the  contestants 
in  the  first  debate  of  the  Philolexian  Society. 

"On  Friday,  February  26,  181 3,  appeared  the  first  and 
only  number  of  The  Philolexian.  There  seems  to  have 
been  but  a  single  copy  written  to  be  read  before  the  members 
of  the  society  in  meeting  and  thus  certainly  assured  of  a 
hearing.  It  was  written  on  a  sheet  of  foolscap  in  the  clear 
copy-plate  hand  of  our  ancestors  and  covered  two  pages  and 


*W.  A.  Bradley  in  the  Columbia  University  Quarterly,  Vol.  I,  No.  4- 
Sept.,  1899. 


a  half.  In  point  of  style,  the  anonymous  author  wrote  the 
heavy  balanced  periods  of  his  Johnson  model,  The  Rambler, 
which  he  quotes  at  the  end  of  the  paper  in  defence  of  his 
anonymity . ' '  The  author  opens  his  paper  by  calling  attention 
to  the  condition  of  the  society  and  announces  that  he  pro- 
poses to  write  to  both  the  enemies  and  friends  of  the  society. 
"  After  mature  consideration  he  (the  writer)  has  been  led  to 
the  conclusion  that  a  crisis  in  the  affairs  of  the  society  has 
arrived  which  demands  the  best  exertions  of  each  individual 
member.  A  part  of  his  duty  he  has  perhaps  with  more 
boldness  than  discretion  attempted  to  discharge  in  this 
manner.  Solicitude  for  the  institution  would  not  permit 
him  to  be  silent."  The  purpose  of  the  paper  is  stated  as 
follows:  "To  solve  this  pre-eminently  interesting  question, 
what  might  be  the  future  state  of  the  Philolexian  Society 
he  will  be  obliged  to  confine  himself  to  such  deductions  as 
may  be  drawn  from  the  consideration  of  the  intrinsic  worth 
of  its  design,  the  adaptation  of  its  plan  to  its  object — the 
talents  and  erudition  of  its  members — and  to  answer  these 
questions  what  will  probably  be  its  future  condition ;  upon 
what  it  will  depend  for  its  existence ;  upon  what  for  respect- 
ability; upon  what  for  celebrity.  To  the  consideration  of 
these  questions,  the  Philolexian  will  principally  be  con- 
fined.''  Referring  to  his  anonymity,  he  says  that  "in 
accordance  with  the  prerogative  of  every  anonymous  writer," 
he  is  given  a  "right  of  acting  and  speaking  with  less  re- 
straint even  when  the  writer  happens  to  be  known. "  It  is  for 
this  noble  purpose  that  the  paper  is  to  be  presented  to  the 


society;  but  for  reasons  that  are  unrecorded,  no  second 
paper  was  ever  prepared. 

Yet  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  idea  was  again  taken 
up,  for  on  Friday,  December  10,  1813,  began  the  series  of 
twelve  papers  of  The  Philolexian  Observer.  "  I  am  forcibly 
struck,"  writes  the  author,  "with  the  idea  that  a  paper 
proposing  to  treat  of  subjects  connected  with  the  society 
might,  if  properly  conducted,  answer  the  important  purpose 
of  advancing  the  interests  and  of  establishing  the  reputa- 
tion of  the  institution.  For  these  objects  Philolexian  was 
written,  and  I  am  at  a  loss  to  discover  the  motive  which 
could  have  induced  the  writer  so  soon  to  have  discontinued 
his  labors."  The  object  of  the  little  publication  is  stated 
to  be  to  promote  the  interest  of  the  Philolexian  constitution 
and  laws  of  the  society;  to  speak,  and  criticise  if  need  be, 
the  internal  management,  to  describe  the  duties  of  the 
members  and  to  praise  or  condemn  the  manner  in  which  the 
various  duties  are  carried  out  by  the  members ;  in  general, 
to  write  on  any  miscellaneous  subject  which  the  author 
thinks  may  be  of  interest  to  the  society.  The  anonymous 
writer  then  refers  to  himself  as  one  who  has  been  connected 
with  the  institution  for  a  number  of  years  and  calls  himself 
"  Philolecticus."  In  the  next  number  he  informs  his 
readers  that  he  will  devise  'a  plan  by  which  he  may  be  com- 
municated with. 

Such  was  the  general  scheme  of  this  periodical  as  origi- 
nally designated  by  "Philolecticus."  In  reality,  however, 
the  papers  became  a  medium  for  the  efforts  of  others,  the 


author  reserving  the  right  to  edit  the  letters  written  to  him, 
to  discuss  the  various  questions  raised  by  his  contributors, 
and  to  criticise  their  essays. 

In  the  second  number  of  the  paper  there  are  two  letters, 
one  written  bya"  Senior  Officer,"  the  other  by  an  "  Honor- 
ary Member,"  both  praising  the  enterprise.  ' '  Philolecti- 
cus"  responds  with  cordial  thanks  for  their  advice,  and  then 
says  that  he  has  decided  to  request  the  members  of  the 
society  to  write  essays  for  his  paper,  which  will  be  criticised 
by  the  editor,  and  can  then  be  discussed  before  the  society. 
By  so  doing  it  is  his  firm  belief  that  much  good  will  be 
derived  by  enabling  the  members  to  have  more  practice 
in  writing  English  compositions,  for  as  the  author  well  says, 
"Especially  among  students  in  any  public  seminary  the 
duty  of  composition  as  it  is  forced  upon  them  is  considered 
as  irksome  in  the  highest  degree,  and  is  avoided  as  much 
as  is  possible,  sometimes  even  at  the  expense  of  truth,  of 
honor,  of  even  common  honesty.  But  here  the  duty  would 
be  voluntary,  and  no  doubt  attended  with  pleasure."  Then 
follows  a  discourse  on  the  advantages  of  reading,  with  com- 
ments by  the  editor. 

The  result  sought  by  the  editor  was  evidently  agreeable 
to  the  members  of  the  society,  for  the  remaining  papers  are 
some  of  them  merely  reproductions  of  essays  written  to 
"Philolecticus."  The  subjects  vary  in  interest  and  in 
skill  of  treatment.  Essays  on  such  subjects  as  "  Procras- 
tination" and  in  the  last  number  on  "Scandal"  are  pub- 
lished. 


The  third  number  is  devoted  to  the  subject  of  "  Literary 
Societies."  Naturally,  especial  attention  is  paid  to  Philo- 
lexian.  The  author  praises  the  former  members  for  their 
zeal,  and  the  present  members  for  their  activity  in  well- 
chosen  words:  "The  society  owes  to  these  members"  (it  is 
written  by  a  member)  "  every  possible  return  of  gratitude.  If 
there  are  any  present  who  are  among  the  number  particularly 
pointed  at,  let  them  feel  a  satisfaction  in  the  idea  that  their 
exertions  have  not  been  in  vain,  that  the  dangers  they 
underwent,  the  fatigues  and  disappointments  they  endured, 
can  now  be  most  amply  repaid,  when  looking  round  in  the 
present  prosperity  of  the  society  they  behold  the  Philo- 
lexian  Eagle,  emerging  from  the  obscurity  which  surrounded 
displaying  in  her  bosom  the  appropriate  Surgam."  Re- 
ferring to  Peithologian,  the  author  calls  upon  his  readers 
"to  exercise  a  spirit  of  rivalry  and  not  to  permit  a  younger 
society  to  excel  us  in  this  more  than  in  any  other  respect." 
The  proceedings  of  the  society  are  next  described:  "The 
duties  of  the  society  consist  principally  in  the  delivery  of 
orations,  in  reading  select  passages  of  English  composition, 
in  the  composition  of  essays,  under  which  head  may  also 
be  classed  the  duty  of  criticism,  and  in  extemporaneous 
discussion  on  topics  of  a  miscellaneous  nature. 

Another  of  the  subjects  in  the  series  is  on  "  Gentlemanly 
Behavior."  This  discussion  is  suggested  by  a  resolution 
which  referred  to  the  "divulging  of  what  happens  in  the 
society."  In  the  seventh,  eighth  and  ninth  papers  are  pub- 
lished various  letters  from  the  members  of  the  society.    There 


is  a  letter  to  "  Philolecticus  "  which  calls  forth  the  statement 
that  the  pages  of  The  Philolexian  Observer  will  always  be 
open  to  every  communication  which  may  be  proper  to 
present  to  the  society."  The  inference  that  one  is  per- 
mitted to  gather  is  that  in  the  opinion  of  the  author  this 
letter  was  not  on  a  suitable  subject  for  publication.  Then 
follows  a  letter  from  "P.  I.  R."  on  the  subject  of  a  motion 
made  in  the  society.  This  letter  was  not  printed  until  some 
time  afterwards  in  the  eleventh  number.  Its  object  was  to 
introduce  a  regular  printed  paper  into  the  society,  "  a  plan," 
which,  according  to  the  editor,  was  altogether  "  too  vision- 
ary to  be  entertained  for  a  moment."  "A  society  like  the 
Philolexian,"  it  is  declared,  "has  no  right  to  bring  itself 
forward  in  the  character  of  authorship. ' '  This  was  an  oppor- 
tunity lost  forever  to  the  society  to  publish  the  first  student 
paper  at  Columbia.  The  suggestion  was  afterwards  adopted 
by  the  Peithologian  Society  in  the  publication  of  the  Aca- 
demic Recreations.  Yet  it  must  always  be  conceded  that 
the  original  idea  was  first  discussed  and  threshed  out  by 
the  members  of  Philolexian. 

A  letter  is  also  received  from  "I.  I.  P."  on  " Dancing," 
"which  does  not  appear  quite  grave  enough  for  a  literary 
society."  Notwithstanding  this  fact,  in  the  next  number 
the  essay  appears  in  full.  It  is  an  amusing  effort,  and  the 
author  deals  with  the  greatest  severity  with  rakes,  fops  and 
prudes,  which  he  implies  arise  from  the  act  of  too  much 
dancing. 

The  only  really  humorous  paper  in  the  series  is  the  tenth, 


which  is  entitled  the  "Ghost  of  the  Philolexian."  It  is 
signed  "Creighton,"  and  the  author  in  common  parlance 
roasts  the  Observer  in  a  dignified  jocular  manner.  "You 
began  to  make  a  punch  bowl,"  he  asserts,  "but  you  pro- 
duced nothing  but  a  tea-cup — and  now,  Mr.  Philolecticus, 
let  me  tell  you  into  what  a  hobble  you  have  brought  your- 
self. You  are  excluded  from  the  delights  of  Elysium. 
Charon  declares  that  you  shall  not  set  foot  in  his  boat,  for 
that  such  a  mass  of  conceit  and  egotism  would  most  as- 
suredly sink  it.  Pluto,  moreover,  says  he  will  provide  a 
complete  set  of  The  Philolexian  Observer,  which  you  shall 
be  compelled  to  read  as  the  worst  punishment  of  all,  and 
by  way  of  a  little  recreation  he  says  he  will  lend  you  a  few 
numbers  of  The  Athenceum  of  Yale  College."  In  a  calm, 
judicious,  temperate  tone  comes  the  answer  of  "Philolecti- 
cus" :  "  Keep  yourself  cool,  good  Mr.  Philolexian,  I  promise 
you  you  shall  never  be  disturbed." 

In  the  brief  review  of  this  little  manuscript  periodical 
which  must  always  be  of  interest  to  the  Philolexian  mem- 
bers, we  see  considerable  light  thrown  upon  an  otherwise 
obscure  period. 

Frequently,  at  intervals  in  the  records  of  the  society, 
mention  is  made  of  The  Observer.  It  seems  as  if  the  mem- 
bers contributed  papers  to  be  read  before  the  society's 
meetings,  but  none  of  the  later  publications  of  The  Observer 
can  be  found. 

We  can  recall  with  pride  the  student  efforts  of  these  early 
members  of  the  society;    and  the  relations  which  are  thus 


exposed  between  the  members  on  the  one  hand,  and  their 
connection  with  The  Philolexian  Observer  on  the  other,  the 
condition  of  the  society,  and  all  the  amusing  circumstances 
that  are  recorded,  afford  infinite  enjoyment  to  the  reader 
as  a  relic  of  the  by-gone  past. 


IX.     DEBATING  IN  THE  SOCIETY. 

The  topics  of  the  many  debates  directly  reflect  time 
and  time  again  as  one  would  naturally  suppose,  the 
popular  feelings  of  the  times.  The  broadest  questions  have 
been  discussed  on  the  floor  of  the  society.  Extending  over 
one  hundred  years,  almost  every  conceivable  question  has 
been  debated.  Political  questions,  it  is  not  surprising, 
predominate;  but  morals,  religion,  philosophy,  literature, 
social,  economic  and  college  questions,  all  have  had  their  day. 
Some  of  the  debates  taken  at  random  from  the  great  range 
of  subjects  may  prove  of  interest. 

The  first  debate  of  the  Philolexian  Society  of  which  any 
record  has  been  preserved,  occurred  on  May  17,  1814,  on 
the  "Public  Celebration  of  the  Twelfth  Anniversary  of  the 
Philolexian  Society,"  in  the  Hall  of  Columbia  College,  on 
the  question,  "  Would  it  be  expedient  to  extend  the  benefits 
of  a  liberal  education  to  the  female  sex  ? "  There  were  three 
speakers : 

James  S.  Rosevelt,  Affirmant. 

John  R.  Mason,  Opponent. 

Gregory  T.  Bedell,  Respondent. 

All  the  merits  and  demerits  of  this  much  discussed  ques- 
tion were  threshed  out  by  the  speakers  in  carefully  prepared 


orations.  The  diction  is  excellent,  the  tone  lofty  and  com- 
manding, the  material  full  and  complete.  There  is  a  ring 
in  the  written  addresses.  The  orations  are  preserved  in 
manuscript  form,  and  are  bound  in  the  same  volume  with 
the  manuscripts  of  The  Observer,  the  papers  of  the 
Philolexian  of  which  extended  mention  has  been  previously 
made. 

From  this  time  on,  although  the  records  are  incomplete, 
debates  within  the  society,  at  its  various  meetings,  continue. 
As  we  look  over  the  list  of  subjects,  we  find  one  timely 
question  that  reads  as  follows:  " That  the  elevated  railroad 
is  a  greater  nuisance  than  a  benefit. "  On  March  4,  1881, 
there  was  a  discussion  on  a"  Petition  for  a  course  in  Oratory," 
which  resulted  in  a  resolution  being  sent  to  the  Trustees 
signed  by  the  Presidents  of  the  societies  then  in  existence. 
It  was  some  years  before  the  result  desired  by  the  petitioners 
was  effected,  but  finally  the  University  too  realized  the 
necessity  of  giving  a  more  prominent  place  to  oratory  and 
debating  in  the  curriculum  than  had  heretofore  been  given. 
The  university  has  done  much  for  the  students  in  this 
matter;  but  there  is  still  much  that  is  desirable  to  be  ac- 
complished. The  future,  we  trust,  may  have  it  in  store  for 
those  who  come  hereafter. 

One  of  the  debates  in  1870,  was  "Resolved,  that  the 
Excise  Law  should  be  repealed,"  and  was  won  by  the 
affirmative.  This  is  the  same  subject  practically  that  was 
the  question  for  the  debate  held  this  year  between  the 
Philolexian  and  Barnard  Societies. 


Another  topic  was,  "Resolved,  that  Polygamy  among 
the  Mormons  should  be  suppressed  by  the  National  Govern- 
ment. "  Still  other  interesting  subjects  were:  "That  the 
United  States  has  been  dilatory  in  respect  to  the  Virginius  "  ; 
"That  Athletics  are  carried  to  excess  in  the  prominent 
American  Colleges";  "That  poetry  has  a  more  refining 
influence  than  prose" ;  " That  punishment  at  the  whipping 
post  for  wife  beating,  garrotting  and  minor  offences  is  better 
than  the  present  method  of  imprisonment";  "That  it  is 
theoretically  consistent  with  morality  and  right  that  a 
widower  should  marry  his  wife's  sister" ;  "That  the  policy 
of  Disraeli  has  ever  been  beneficial  to  the  English  Govern- 
ment"  ;  "That  Reciprocity  Treaties  are  opposed  to  the  true 
interests  of  our  country. " 

In  one  of  the  debates  on  the  question,  "Resolved,  that 
the  Liberty  of  the  Press  should  be  restricted, "  it  is  recorded 
that  the  "Police  Gazette"  was  deemed  not  admissible  as 
evidence.  An  appeal  was  taken  from  the  decision  of  the 
chair  on  this  ruling,  but  it  was  not  sustained.  Once  when 
the  society  was  transformed  into  a  senate  the  following  bills 
were  introduced :  One  for  the  admission  of  Utah  as  a  State ; 
another  for  the  free  coinage  of  silver;  and  still  a  third  for 
the  repeal  of  the  Federal  Election  Law. 

These  debates,  which  took  place  on  the  floor  of  the  society 
from  the  earliest- times,  still  remained  the  principal  features 
of  the  latter  day  meetings.  They  have  been  the  crux  upon 
which  the  energies  of  the  members  have  always  chiefly 
turned.     It  is  from  them  that  the  great  benefits  are  mainly 


derived ;  and  it  is  probably  due  to  the  appreciation  of  this 
fact  that  their  prominence  has  always  been  maintained. 

It  is  a  rather  strange  fact,  however,  that  although  these 
debates  within  the  society  were  the  centre  of  interest,  that 
no  debate  occurred,  so  far  as  the  records  of  the  society  would 
indicate,  with  the  rival  Peithologian  Society  until  after  the 
formation  of  Barnard.  Whenever  the  two  older  societies 
held  joint  meetings  it  was  for  the  purpose  of  having  some 
prominent  speaker  address  them.  It  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  thought  of  as  desirable  to  have  any  joint  debate 
between  the  two  societies. 

The  first  mention  of  a  joint  debate  did  not  arise  until 
after  Barnard  was  organized.  On  Thursday,  October  10, 
1879,  a  resolution  was  adopted  which  provided  for  "A  con- 
ference committee  of  three  to  arrange  a  joint  debate  with 
the  Peithologian  and  Barnard  Societies."  It  is  with  some 
degree  of  hesitancy  that  this  is  stated  as  the  first  inter- 
society  debate  of  the  Philolexian  Society,  for  there  is  con- 
siderable possibility  that  other  debates  may  have  taken 
place,  which  through  carelessness  or  oversight  were  never 
recorded.  Certainly  it  is  the  first  reference  to  a  debate  of 
this  character. 

The  result  of  the  efforts  of  this  committee  was  not 
altogether  successful.  After  considerable  negotiation,  in 
which  much  jockeying  by  all  sides  seems  to  have  been  in- 
dulged in,  the  Barnard  and  Peithologian  Societies  both 
claimed  that  the  verbal  challenge  of  the  Philolexian  was 
altogether  too  informal.     It  was  thereupon  resolved  that  a 


written  challenge  should  be  issued  to  both  of  the  societies; 
but  soon  afterwards  it  was  decided  to  postpone  the  debate 
until  after  the  mid-year  examinations.  The  subject  was  again 
taken  up,  however,  and  finally,  a  debate  between  the  Barnard 
and  Philolexian  Societies  was  arranged  for  April  30,  1880. 
The  subject  at  issue  was,  "  Resolved,  that  there  should  be  a 
property  qualification  for  franchise."  The  negative  sup- 
ported by  Barnard  proved  the  victor  of  this,  the  first  inter- 
society  debate. 

The  disastrous  result  of  this  debate  seems  to  have  put  a 
damper  on  all  further  attempts  for  a  number  of  years. 
Even  the  winning  society,  Barnard,  also  discontinued  her 
inter-society  debate  with  Peithologian,  which  had  been 
quite  a  feature.  Of  the  five  debates  which  had  been  con- 
tested between  Peithologian  and  Barnard  the  latter  had 
won  all  five.  It  was  not  until  six  years  later  that  the 
records  show  that  another  inter-society  debate  took  place. 
This  was  a  three-cornered  debate,  in  which  each  of  the  three 
societies  had  two  representatives.  The  first  and  second 
honorable  mention  were  both  awarded  to  Peithologian. 
The  subject  of  the  contest  was  "Resolved,  that  England 
should  grant  to  Ireland  the  same  rights  of  general  self- 
government  that  are  now  enjoyed  by  Canada."  As  each 
society  had  one  representative  on  the  affirmative,  and  one 
on  the  negative,  there  could  be  very  little  society  rivalry. 
It  was  individual  excellence  and  skill  which  counted  on 
these  debates. 

From  this  time  on  these  three  corner  affairs  were  made 


prominent  college  occurrences.  They  were  annual  features 
until  1893,  in  which  year  no  debating  contest  was  held. 

In  1894  debating  acquired  a  new  impetus  at  Columbia. 
This  year  may  be  stated  to  have  inaugurated  the  present 
modern  theory  of  debating  at  the  university.  After  the 
resuscitation  of  the  Philolexian  Society  and  the  consolida- 
tion with  the  shortly-lived  Hamilton  Literary  Society, 
affairs  were  placed  in  a  most  prosperous  condition.  Every- 
thing was  ready  for  the  next  move. 

At  the  meeting  of  Philolexian,  May  9,  1893,  a  challenge 
was  sent  to  Barnard  for  a  debate  to  take  place  before  College 
closed.  Barnard  declined  to  accept  the  challenge.  The 
great  onward  step,  however,  was  deferred  only  until  a  few 
months  later.  On  December  7,  1893,  the  following  resolu- 
tion, one  of  the  most  important  acts  in  reference  to  debating 
ever  consummated  by  Columbia  men,  was  adopted.  It 
was  the  suggestion  of  Philolexian  men,  and  due  credit  for 
the  enterprise  must  always  be  given  to  Philolexian' s  sons. 
"We  recommend,"  so  reads  the  resolution,  "the  formation 
of  the  union  of  the  under-graduate  debating  societies  of 
Columbia  College,  under  the  name  of  the  '  Columbia  Union, ' 
and  that  three  members  from  each  society  be  elected  each 
November  to  constitute  a  standing  executive  committee. 
That  this  committee  shall  represent  the  debating  interests 
of  the  college  and  shall  arrange  all  matters  with  regard  to 
collegiate  and  intercollegiate  debating,  subject  to  the  ap- 
proval of  the  societies  represented."  Thus  the  Debating 
Union  was  originated;    thus  Columbia's  name  in  debate 


would  no  longer  be  confined  to  merely  the  college  proper. 
Her  arm  was  outstretched  for  intercollegiate  glory,  and  the 
honor  of  intercollegiate  victories  was  thus  made  possible 
by  the  new  action  of  the  under-graduates  of  the  two  societies 
of  the  college. 

This  scheme  was  soon  followed  by  another  important 
move,  the  resumption  of  the  policy  of  inter-society  debates. 
On  May  3, 1894,  the  present  series  of  inter-society  debates  was 
inaugurated  with  a  contest  on  the  subject,  "That  Capital 
Punishment  should  be  abolished,"  in  which  each  society 
had  two  representatives.  The  decision  of  the  judges  was 
again  in  favor  of  the  Barnard  Society.  The  first  contest 
which  Philolexian  won  occurred  on  November  23,  1894, 
when  Philolexian  with  the  affirmative  side  finally  succeeded 
in  gaining  the  decision.  It  was  the  custom  formerly 
for  each  society  to  have  two  representatives,  but  since 
1894  three  representatives  from  each  society  have  been 
chosen.  Each  year  witnessed  a  contest  of  supremacy  in 
the  best  two  out  of  three  debates.  These  struggles  have 
always  brought  out  an  appreciative  and  interested  audience, 
and  enthusiasm  runs  high  on  these  occasions.  In  1898  the 
policy  of  having  two  or  more  contests  was  abandoned,  and 
an  annual  debate  was  instituted.  This  step  was  caused  by 
the  entrance  of  Columbia  into  the  field  of  intercollegiate 
debating.  A  word  more  should  be  said  concerning  the 
inter-society  contests.  Since  November,  1894,  seventeen 
debates  have  taken  place,  of  which  Philolexian  has  herself 
credited  with  nine  victories;  and  Barnard  is  entitled  to  the 


remaining  eight.  If,  however,  we  add  to  the  above  record 
the  contest  of  April,  1880,  which  was  won  by  Barnard,  the 
two  societies  have  each  the  same  number  of  victories  to 
their  credit.  The  importance  of  the  anniversary  debate  of 
the  present  year  cannot  be  overestimated.  On  the  one  hand 
counting  all  the  debates,  Philolexian  by  winning  this  con- 
test made  the  number  of  victories  even ;  and,  if  the  present 
series  only  is  counted,  Philolexian  is  once  more  placed  in  the 
lead.  On  these  friendly  trials  between  two  such  old  rivals 
only  the  best  results  can  be  expected,  and  only  the  best 
results,  the  highest  pleasure,  and  the  greatest  enjoyment 
must,  and  always  does,  ensue. 

The  Debating  Union,  of  which  brief  mention  has  been 
made,  proved  a  remarkable  success.  To  its  members  are 
entrusted  the  debating  interests  of  the  University.  To  say 
that  these  interests  have  been  well  cared  for  is  a  statement 
of  the  absolute  truth.  The  Union  as  a  body  of  under- 
graduate representatives,  has  accomplished  more  to  place 
debating  in  the  place  which  it  should  occupy  in  a  univer- 
sity's life  than  any  other  one  factor.  Now  and  then  a  so- 
called  graduate  advisory  board  is  consulted  on  important 
questions.  In  1897  the  Debating  Union  established  a 
Freshman  Society,  which  was  disbanded  in  1899  only 
to  be  again  revived  in  the  year  after.  The  policy  of 
continuing  a  Freshman  Society  seems  excellent  in  theory, 
as  it  encourages  Freshmen  to  become  interested  in  debating, 
whereas  otherwise  no  such  interest  might  be  aroused.  In 
practice,  the  scheme  has  proved  successful. 


In  1895  an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to  negotiate 
an  intercollegiate  debate  with  Chicago  University.  Not 
until  1897  was  Columbia  represented  in  an  intercollegiate 
debating  contest.  On  the  evening  of  March  19,  1897,  the 
Harvard  Forum  was  pitted  against  the  Columbia  University 
Debating  Union.  The  debate,  which  took  place  at  Carnegie 
Lyceum  in  this  city,  was  on  the  subject,  "Resolved,  that 
the  present  method  of  electing  United  States  Senators  is 
preferable  to  election  by  popular  vote."  Each  university 
was  represented  by  three  debaters.  The  Columbia  team 
was  composed  of  William  Boone  Gunton,  of  Barnard, 
Charles  Frederick  Wheaton,  of  Philolexian,  and  Joseph  M. 
Proskauer,  of  Philolexian.  Columbia  successfully  sustained 
the  negative  of  the  debate,  and  was  awarded  the  decision 
of  the  judges.  The  successful  outcome  of  this  debate 
resulted  in  the  arrangement  of  three  debates  with  the  Uni- 
versity at  Chicago.  Two  out  of  the  three  debates  were  won 
by  Columbia.  In  more  recent  years,  Columbia  has  debated 
Cornell  and  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  Twice  has 
she  succumbed  to  the  latter ;  and,  in  two  out  of  the  three  con- 
tests, to  the  former.  The  victory  over  Cornell  in  1901  was 
the  first  victory  won  by  a  Columbia  team  against  Cornell 
since  the  university  boat-race  of  June,  1895.  Columbia's 
representatives  on  that  auspicious  occasion  were  Charles 
A.  Baker,  '99,  Ernest  A.  Cardozo,  '99,  and  Bernard  M.  L. 
Ernst,  '99,  all  of  Philolexian. 

The  interesting  fact  to  Philolexian  men  in  connection  with 
these  intercollegiate    debates  is  the  number  of  Philolexian 


men  which  have  gained  the  much  coveted  positions 
on  the  teams.  Since  Columbia  commenced  intercollegiate 
debating,  there  have  been  all  told  nine  debates,  in  which 
eleven  different  men  have  represented  the  university.  Of 
this  number,  eight  have  been  members  of  the  Philolexian 
Society. 

The  Philolexian  was  also  the  first  to  have  an  inter- 
society  debate  with  an  organization  not  connected  with  the 
university.  In  April,  1898,  a  debate  was  arranged 
between  the  Twenty-third  Street  Branch  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  and  in  the  following  April  the 
contest  was  held  in  the  Association  Hall  on  Madison  Avenue 
and  Twenty- third  Street.  These  debates  have  been  marked 
by  the  most  cordial  relations  between  the  two  societies; 
this  contest  was  the  forerunner  of  two  others  which  have 
taken  place  in  April,  1899,  and  in  March,  1902,  respectively. 
All  the  three  debates  have  been  won  by  Philolexian.  Such 
debates  of  this  character  with  outside  organizations  are  to 
be  encouraged,  as  they  render  effective  assistance  in  giving 
the  members  of  the  society  practice  which  well  enables 
them  in  time  to  become  university  debaters. 


X.  CONCLUSION. 

Such  has  been  the  history  of  the  Philolexian  Society  of 
Columbia  University. 

With  love  for  the  old  society  and  in  gratitude  for  its 
benefits,  the  purpose  of  this  sketch  has  been  to  portray  those 
recollections  which  should  be  held  most  dear  by  Philolexian 
men. 

The  remarkable  influence  which  the  societies  once  had 
upon  student  life  has  been  a  matter  of  comment  elsewhere 
in  this  history.  They  were  the  center  of  student  activity 
and  energy.  In  all  probability,  to  a  very  large  extent, 
they  took  the  place  of  fraternities  which  were  not  estab- 
lished at  Columbia  until  1836.  In  fact,  even  after  that 
time,  the  importance  of  the  two  old  societies  cannot  be 
over-estimated.  For  many  years  they  were  controlled  by 
fraternity  men  with  a  high  degree  of  success.  Included  in 
the  rolls  of  Philolexian  are  men  whose  names  shall  forever 
be  proud  possessions  of  the  society.  These  men  were  the 
prominent  leaders  in  those  things  which  tend  to  produce 
the  pleasures  of  students  in  a  college  career,  and  which  create 
the  memories  which  are  the  joys  of  older  recollections. 
Columbia  University  of  to-day  owes  much  to  these  two  old 
societies.  Few,  indeed,  are  possessed  of  the  knowledge 
that  the  light  blue  and  the  white,  the  colors  of  Alma  Mater, 
are  due  to  the  existence  of  Philolexian  and  Peithologian. 


The  former  claims  the  honor  of  the  blue;  the  latter, 
of  the  white.  As  the  two  societies  were  the  medium  through 
which  student  sentiment  was  expressed,  when  the  time 
arose  for  the  crystallization  of  that  sentiment  to  be  exhibited' 
to  the  eyes  of  the  college  world,  it  is  not  at  all  astonishing 
that  the  students  of  those  days  looked  to  the  societies  for  the 
selection  and  choice  of  college  colors.  It  was  when  Colum- 
bia become  renowned  for  her  prowess  in  athletics  that  the 
necessity  for  the  choice  of  college  colors  became  paramount. 
The  selection  was  not  long  delayed.  A  combination  of  the 
light  blue  of  Philolexian  and  the  white  of  Peithologian  was 
suggested;  and  the  suggestion,  meeting  with  great  popu- 
larity, the  colors  were  finally  adopted  as  the  emblem  of 
the  college,  to-day  the  university. 

Such  an  interesting  fact  as  the  above  only  goes  to  show 
the  important  position  which  the  societies  held  in  the  minds 
of  the  students.  Doubtless,  this  position  was  gained 
through  those  characteristics  which  have  always  signalized 
Philolexian  men.  The  willingness  to  sacrifice  oneself  for 
the  good  of  others,  and  to  work  ever  for  the  interests  of 
Philolexian ;  the  sincerity,  combined  with  the  innate  ability 
of  the  members  of  the  society,  these  and  other  praiseworthy 
qualities  have  not  only  endeared  the  names  of  former 
members  to  the  society,  but  have  already  raised  a  goal 
which  the  present  members  are  ever  striving  to  reach. 

Of  individuals  and  of  classes,  of  their  influence  and  per- 
sonality, it  is  exceptionally  difficult  to  speak.  Individuals 
come  and  go;    and  classes  enter  and  are  graduated.     The 


minutes  of  the  society  only  show  the  recorded  deeds  of  its 
members;  but  the  history  of  the  community  bears  testi- 
mony to  the  fact  that  the  members  of  Philolexian  have  left 
upon  its  pages  indelible  impress. 

To  those  members  who  have  passed  from  this  life,  who 
by  their  efforts  have  so  largely  contributed  to  present  suc- 
cesses, the  society  lays  at  their  bier  its  most  humble  offering. 
In  deep  veneration  are  the  names  of  such  men  as  Nathaniel 
F.  Moore,  1802,  David  S.  Jones,  1806,  Benjamin  Haight, 
181 1,  Henry  Anthon,  1813,  Stuyvesant  Fish,  D.  L.  M. 
Peixotto,  1816,  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  the  society. 

Probably  one  of  the  most  brilliant  speakers  and  the 
ablest  debater  of  the  sixties  was  Arthur  P.  Sturges  of  the 
Class  of  1864.  His  brother,  Henry  C.  Sturges,  pays  the 
following  tribute  to  his  memory : 

"Arthur  Pemberton  Sturges  entered  college  in  the  fall 
of  1 86 1  and  graduated  June,  1864.  From  the  first  he  was  a 
very  active  member  of  Philolexian ;  and  the  minutes  of  the 
society  and  the  testimony  of  his  contemporaries,  all  bear 
witness  to  his  zeal  and  talent.  He  was  editor  of  The  Philo- 
lexian Observer  and  was  elected  time  after  time  to  represent 
the  society  as  their  star  speaker.  He  first  obtained  public 
recognition  at  the  anniversary  at  Irving  Hall,  December  19, 
1862,  in  his  masterly  rendering  of  "Shamus  O'Brien,"  and 
at  subsequent  anniversaries  he  wrote  for  and  delivered 
before  the  societies  the  two  poems  of  "  Johnnie  McKay  "  and 
44  Donald  Low."  Many  now  living  will  gladly  bear  witness  to 
the  delight  with  which  they  were  received.    He  was  a  favorite 


pupil  of  George  VanderhofT  and  a  hard  student.  On 
graduating  he  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Prince- 
ton, but  died  before  he  could  complete  his  course,  greatly 
beloved  by  classmates  and  friends." 

To  many  others,  in  like  measure,  the  same  praise  of  love 
and  reverence  of  honor  is  due.  Space  alone  prevents  the 
eulogy  of  those  whose  memory  will  ever  live  in  the  lustre  of 
the  Sun  towards  which  they  lent  their  assistance.  To  those 
who  fought  for  the  cause  of  right  in  the  noble  struggle  of 
the  North  and  the  South,  to  James  Benkard,  and  William 
Augustus  Boyd,  both  of  the  Class  of  '6i,  with  respect,  in 
loving  memory  for  their  actions,  Philolexian  renders  honor. 

And  to  those  of  the  present,  the  same  meed  of  honor  is 
offered.  Philolexian  thanks  all  for  their  services  of  love 
and  assures  them  of  the  appreciation  of  their  efforts  of 
affection.  To  her  statesmen,  lawyers,  physicians  and 
ministers,  to  her  authors,  professors,  scientists  and  jurists, 
to  her  honorary  members,  alumni  and  friends,  her  gratitude 
is  freely  given.  Among  the  large  number  are  men  whom 
as  individuals  we  delight  to  honor.  High  in  esteem  does 
the  society  hold  such  members  as  Abram  S.  Hewitt,  '42, 
Edward  Mitchell,  '6i,  Julien  T.  Davies,  '66,  Alfred T.  Mahan, 
'68,  George  L.  Rives,  '68,  William  D.  Foulke,  '69,  Willard 
Bartlett,  '69,  Brander  Matthews,  '71,  John  B.  Pine,  '77  and 
William  Barclay  Parsons,  '79.  Upon  the  respected  Dean 
of  Columbia  College,  her  close  friend  and  advisor  for  so 
many  years,  Philolexian' s  praise  is  bestowed.  To  those  of 
her  representatives  who  have  fought  valiantly  for  her  fame, 


whether  or  not  a  victory  was  gained,  who  have  labored  so 
earnestly  and  put  forward  such  honest  endeavors  for  her 
success,  she  begs  them  to  accept  her  most  sincere,  cordial 
and  heartfelt  thanks. 

The  men  of  recent  years  who  have  so  remarkably  guided 
her  steps  in  her  onward  march,  ought  never  to  be  forgotten. 
First  and  foremost  is  Joseph  M.  Proskauer,  '96,  a  coach  of 
recognized  ability,  a  versatile  speaker,  a  skilled  debater  and 
able  orator,  as  counsel  and  friend,  a  true  Columbia  man. 
Philolexian' s  honor  roll  would  be  incomplete  if  mention 
were  not  made  of  him.  To  the  classes  of  Columbia  College 
which  have  contributed  so  vastly  to  her  membership,  which 
have  aided  her  when  aid  was  most  needed,  and  to  the  mem- 
bers of  those  classes,  she  speaks  a  word  of  manifold  grati- 
tude. To  the  men  of  the  Class  of  '99,  by  whose  unselfish 
and  ever  loving  assistance  Philolexian 's  fame  has  been 
enlarged,  to  P.  E.  Brodt,  '97,  Charles  Frederick  Wheaton, 
'97,  Charles  A.  Baker,  '99,  Bernard  M.  L.  Ernst,  '99, 
Charles  H.  Tuttle,  '99,  Melville  J.  France,  1900,  Michael  H. 
Cardozo,  Jr.,  1901,  and  Pendleton  Dudley,  1902,  to  one  and 
all  of  these  and  the  many  others,  Philolexian  in  Columbia's 
name  assures  that  the  future  will  ever  cherish  their  sincere 
devotion  in  preserving  the  ancient  traditions  of  Philolexian. 

To  those  in  charge  of  the  society  at  the  present  time  is 
left  this  glorious  legacy  of  the  past.  With  the  world  they 
may  well  be  proud  of  it,  for  it  is  a  society  which  has  done 
much  good  for  its  members,  but  is  capable  of  doing  far 
more.     Let  them  always  remember  its  motto  "  Surgam" ; 


let  them  ever  be  conscious  of  the  high  principles  which  have 
been  exalted  and  maintained  throughout  all  these  years; 
and  if  only  they  are  true  to  the  spirit  of  Philolexian,  then 
the  acme  of  her  glory  and  fame  has  not  yet  been  reached; 
her  Sun  will  shine  far  more  brilliantly  in  the  new  century 
now  opening  than  ever  before,  as  we,  who  now  celebrate  the 
one  hundredth  anniversary  of  Philolexian,  bid  her  God 
speed  for  another  century — forever  a  beacon  of  glory  to 
her  sons  and  to  their  Alma  Mater,  Columbia,  the  mother 
of  us  all. 


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